Upper Egypt
August 2000 - January 2001
Egypt - Miraculous light in Assiut Since mid-August 2000, the Egyptian city Assiut has been experiencing unusual light phenomena: "A concentrated light frequently appears on the roof of St. Mark's church, sometimes in the form of a dove, sometimes a full-sized figure of a person between the towers," says a local chemist. Assiut is one of Egypt's Christian centers, with a 40% Coptic population, but also has hundreds of mosques. The phenomenon occurs on St. Mark's church, a large Coptic church in the center of the Old Town. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of people pray, sing and dance around the church. It was initially thought that the phenomenon were some kind of trick with lasers or a special light show, so the local government ordered the electricity for the entire neighborhood to be switched off for one night, in order to uncover any deception. The light was not affected. The Coptic Orthodox bishops and the Egyptian Pope Shenuda met to discuss the phenomenon, but failed to reach a consensus, according to a Protestant source. Andrea Xandry, a Swiss teacher and church consultant who travelled to Egypt to investigate the phenomenon, believes angelic appearances to be the most likely explanation. "In the New Testament," he says, "important Christian events such as Jesus' birth, temptation, suffering and resurrection are connected with light (and angels) phenomena." According to various missiologists, it is not unusual for people to see such phenomena in dreams or visions. Xandry asked a local doctor and chemist whether healings had occurred, and was told that they had significantly fewer customers since the phenomena began, and that their colleagues reported the same.
Source: A. Xandry, Rieterstr. 3, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland - DAWN News (Fridayfax 2001 #4) Concerning Assiut Apparitions (2000)
These apparitions come at the heart of an Islamic country (and specifically, in case of Assiut, in one of the main centres of Islamic fundamentalism). Yes, Satan can take a form similar to an angel of light, but would he illuminate the Cross in an Islamic country as happened in Assiut? He likes to hear people attributing this Light to UFOs, hidden lasers, etc. (or even to himself, Satan) and he is for sure very jealous of the extensive spiritual revival that is currently taking place in Assiut. It is the responsibility of devout and gifted people to lead other people to the truth and highlight Satan's lies, because he has been always a liar. God is working everywhere, in the Catholic as well as the Orthodox Churches, and also the Protestant Churches; it's one body, His body and one baptism and a valid Apostolic succession (in case of the traditional Churches) that links us together.
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