In a bid to counter rising meat prices, Coptic churches throughout Egypt are advising their congregations to buy meat from local Coptic monasteries, where meat and poultry can be purchased at lower-than-market prices. El-Erian Monastery in Helwan, for example, is reportedly selling meat at LE28 per kilo, chicken at LE18 per kilo and pigeon at LE25 per kilo. Coptic monasteries at Mar Mina in Alexandria, Wadi el-Natroun and Anba Abram say they are prepared to sell larger quantities of slaughtered and frozen meat--given the high number of visitors expected to attend Easter celebrations--under the supervision of the agriculture and health ministries. Large numbers of Copts, fed up with skyrocketing food prices, have already reportedly headed to local churches and monasteries to purchase quantities of meat and poultry. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
