by Ahmed Shafiq
CAIRO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Atallah Bekhit, 55, broke down in tears near the coffin of his brother Abdul-Massih, who was killed in a massive fire that broke out in a Coptic church in Egypt's Giza Province on Sunday.
Thousands of mourners participated Sunday night in an emotional funeral Mass in Mary and the Angel Church, in Giza Province near Cairo, for the victims of the fire that left 41 dead and 12 injured in Abu Sifin church in Giza's Imbaba neighborhood.
"My brother was the priest of the church... he was loving and compassionate," Bekhit said as he stood near the coffin of his brother before the funeral Mass started.
He said that the sudden death of his brother was a disaster for the family, friends and the people of the church, adding that his brother was loved by everyone, even by his Muslim neighbors.
"I still cannot believe that he died... I will pray that he will rest in peace," Bekhit said as tears rolled down his cheeks.
According to the Egyptian Interior Ministry, the fire started from an air conditioner on the second floor of the church building because of an electrical fault.
Right after the accident, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi extended his condolences to the victims of the church fire in a phone call to Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church.
The atmosphere of the Mass was filled with great sadness, as families and friends of the victims shed tears and cried when people carrying the coffins of the victims came into the church.
"I lost a dear friend in the fire... we were close friends for 10 years. His death is a great loss for me," Emad Adel, a man in his 30s, told Xinhua.
Adel said the death of the victims in the fire broke the hearts of all Egyptians, not only the Copts, stressing that many Muslims came to the church to console their Christian friends and neighbors.
Near the entrance to the church, Lisha Herami, a 25-year-old Coptic from Cairo, sat on the ground watching the coffins of the victims in grief.
Lisha, who came with other friends and relatives to attend the Mass, said the accident is very painful as it caused the death of some children.
"I could not hold my tears when I saw the small coffins of children carried by the servants of the church," Lisha sobbed out. "This scene broke my heart; I hope that such accidents will never happen again." ■