THE FRANCISCANS AND JESUITS IN EGYPT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 498, 27 October 1882, Page 25

THE FRANCISCANS AND JESUITS IN EGYPT.

At last we have some news from the religious in Egypt. Father Francis, of Orta, a Franci scan, writes as followß to the Unita Cattolica, of Turin : '• There are no longer any Europeans, either Christians or Jew-, in Egypt. ... We are the only ones who remain — we and the poor Franciscan nuns. O, if those who ill-treat us in Italy and in Europe could only know and appreciate what is going on here 1 If the Italians have little or no respect for us, the Mussulmans—for the moment, at least— hold us in great esteem. The poor Sisters of Kafrdour were much alarmed at finding themselves left alone in their convent. The Mussulmans came to encourage them, telling them not to be afraid, because they (the chiefs) would undertake to guard and defend them. They invited the nuns, if they were afraid to remain in their convent, to lodge in their houses, which were open to receive them. The Sisters thanked them, and preferred to remain at their post. Thereupon the Mahnour, after having posted a sentinel near the convent, himself patrolled the neighbourhood with his men during the night, with a view to the better protection of the nuns. The Mussulmans of Mansoarah, also, are well pleased that we have not gone away, and no one molests us." As regards the* Jesuit missionaries, we have Tcceived some interesting communications, which inform us of the safety of the Fathers of Alexandria and Cairo. In the former city the Society has been established only since the beginning of the present year, having had to encounter many difficulties in going there at all and still greater difficulties in obtaining a house of residence. They were scarcely settled there when, first, the massacre of the 11th of June and then the bombardment of tne 11th of July occurred. Amidst all the anxiety, and even panic, which preceded those events they persevered, to the surprise of lookers-on, in preparing their chapel for the uses of the public, and, on the 26th of June, one of the two fathers wrote in the following terms to his superior : "We shall very soon be left quite alone. We try to inspire those around us with courage, without much effect sometimes, but now and then we succeed. We are every day receiving congratulations from those who remain. Indeed, if there is no danger, why should we desert our post? and if there i« danger, is it not the proper place for us?" The two missionaries accordingly remained on shore all through the bombardment and the subsequent sacking and burning of Alexandria, and rendered what assistance they could to the victims, although their house, iv the Place Mehemet Ali, was far distant from the centre of the town. The most recent intelligence, while it contains no news as to what may or may not have befallen the hou&e, proves that the two missionaries are safe. One of them is the brother of the lieutenant in the French army who was lately murdered in the Flatters expediion to Central Africa, and his family, having already suffered so terrible a loss, were naturally in great anxiety about him. From Cairo the Father Superior writes on the 16th of June : " You must be very anxious about us after the sanguinary riot at Alexandria ; but set your miuds at ease, for we are quite tranquil here and in good health. The crisis through which we are passing may become more grave, it is true, but we have not yet come to the general massacres about which there have beeu rumours for some days past. The panic is complete and unparalleled. Cairo is emptying visibly, and shops are closing, the banks suspending operations, the great administrative establishments emigrating. Those who do not fly are taking m asurea to meet a rising and an attack. The pupils are leaving the classes-T-ours as well as those of the Brothers. And, though we do not apprehend any great danger, we shall have to take steps to secure the safety of our Coptic seminarists,"