Top countries where Christians are suffering, experiencing supernatural: 'Count the cost'

'The Holy Spirit is at work, thanks to your prayers'

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, January 17, 2026

Egypt and North Africa: Prophets without honor

Despite its rich and ancient Christian history, Egypt remains a potentially dangerous place for its roughly 10 million Christians.

As in other Muslim-majority countries, persecution most often arises against Muslim converts to Christianity from those closest to them. Converts can suffer ostracism, expulsion and even physical violence from their own families and communities for alleged blasphemy, especially in rural areas.

Open Doors asked for prayer that Christians in Egypt would find their value in the Lord as they bear the burden of being despised and rejected, sometimes even by their own loved ones.

The World Watch List report includes an interview with a man named Samir, whose 24-year-old son, Girgis, was among the 21 Christian construction workers who were famously kidnapped in Libya and beheaded by black-clad ISIS militants on a beach near Tripoli in 2015.

Now commonly referred to as the "21 Martyrs," all of the men were Egyptian Coptic Christians except for one from Ghana, who converted upon witnessing the faith of the others as they refused to renounce Jesus Christ despite weeks of torture. Libya joins Egypt and every other North African country on the World Watch List as places of concern.

Samir told Open Doors that while he grieves for his martyred son, who had been engaged to be married, his Christian faith has empowered him to forgive his son's murderers while praying for their salvation.

"My son is a martyr for Jesus, and that is a blessing. I pray for those who killed him — that they may see the truth and follow the light. I have forgiven them. They did not know what they were doing," he said. "Why shouldn't I forgive? The Lord forgives us every second, and He forgave His own persecutors. Girgis is with Jesus, and that is what matters now. I surely miss him every second."