Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt flocked to churches on Holy Saturday to commemorate Christ’s resurrection.
Egypt’s Copts are one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, living in a predominantly Muslim country.
The faithful expressed their joy at being able to mark the beginning of Easter as they attended the Holy Saturday Mass.
The holiday marks the end of a 55-day fast in which Coptic Orthodox believers refrain from eating meat, fish, or dairy products.
This year’s fast overlapped with Ramadan, the month-long fast observed by Muslims from sunrise to sunset.
In 451 A.D., Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church split from other Christians over a disagreement about the nature of Christ.
They do not believe in papal infallibility or purgatory, unlike Roman Catholics.