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Armenian community donates EGP 1 million to support Egypt’s coronavirus response

On the day the Armenian community in Egypt celebrated Palm Sunday, head of the community, Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Egypt Bishop Ashod Mnatsaganian, revealed his community’s donation of EGP 1 million (about $65,000) to the state charitable fund Tahya Misr to support the Egyptian government’s efforts in combating the coronavirus pandemic, Ahram Online reports.

 “We owe it to this Holy Land. It is the least we can offer as a helping hand to fight this pandemic in a country that showed a warm attitude towards our nation in the past and continues to do so at present, for which we are grateful,” Mnatsaganian told Ahram Online via telephone immediately after the Holy Mass of Palm Sunday. 

 The mass was broadcast live on the Facebook page of Egypt’s Armenian Diocese from Cairo’s St Gregory the Illuminator’s Church, for community worshippers to follow with prayers. 

Armenians have been present in Egypt since the 8th century CE. Their number increased during the 12th to 16th centuries, and a community was formed in the 19th century after the genocide perpetuated by Ottoman Turks.

This is not the first time the community has made such a gesture. In September 2018, while the Egyptian Ministry of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs was celebrating “Egyptian-Armenian Fraternity” in the presence of Armenia’s then Minister of Diaspora Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, the community made a similar donation, EGP 1 million, to the Amiri Main University Hospital in Alexandria.

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