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Many of Egypt’s Christians welcomed a recent decision by the Ministry of Housing allowing unlicensed churches to remain open while they go through the process of obtaining official permits. The decision aims to streamline that process, ease Christians' access to places of worship and guarantee their constitutional rights, the ministry said in a statement.
Officials also hope the move could cut down on sectarian violence. Some extremist groups have attacked churches under the pretext that they are unlicensed and therefore illegal.
