As reported by BBC News on 7 January 2019, President al-Sisi officially opened on the same day the newly built Cathedral of the Nativity and the extensive al-Fattah Al-Aleem mosque, both located in the major development that is the new administrative capital. Well-known publicist Joel C. Rosenberg, who attended the inauguration ceremony, reported enthusiastically in a blog on 7 January 2019: "All of it was broadcast live on Egyptian TV. All evening, Egyptians watched Christians and Muslims singing together, walking together, laughing and conversing together, and visiting each other"s holy places. It was a beautiful picture of what people here want the "˜New Egypt" to be." A few days prior to this, the Egyptian government legalized another 80 churches, bringing the total number of churches and church buildings officially registered since the start of the government committee"s work in October 2017 to 627, as reported by Egypt Independent on 1 January 2019.
Michael Bosch, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "It is good to see the Egyptian government showing a positive attitude towards the Christian minority in the country. However, the question remains: Is the Christian-Muslim unity broadcast from the new administrative capital also shared by the millions of ordinary citizens? Over the years, many churches have been attacked by both Islamic militants as well as local mobs, the latter often in reaction to official recognition being given to the church. And in the matter of official recognition, World Watch Monitor reported on 21 December 2018 that 3800 (of the approximately 5000) unlicensed churches had applied for registration, so the committee still has a large number applications to process."
Michael Bosch continues: "In the same week as the Cathedral was opened, an Orthodox priest and other Christians had to be evacuated from their church by the police in order to escape a heated mob in a village in the Minya area, as reported by The Australian Coptic Movement Association on 11 January 2019. On 15 January 2019, International Christian Concern reported that three other churches have been closed due to violence and threats in recent weeks as well. It is clear that Christians in Egypt remain in a vulnerable position."
