ISIS and Palm Sunday Coptic Christian Church Bombings

ISIS kicks off Holy Week with bloodshed, killing Christian worshippers on Palm Sunday.

From the Associated Press:

Bombs exploded at two Coptic churches in different cities in northern Egypt as worshippers were celebrating Palm Sunday, killing at least 43 people and wounding about 100 in an assault claimed by the Islamic State group.

The blasts came at the start of Holy Week leading up to Easter, and just weeks before Pope Francis is due to visit the Arab world's most populous country, which has been beset by extremist violence against its minority Christians.

In the first attack, a bomb went off inside St. George's Church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta, killing at least 27 people and wounding 78, officials said.

A few hours later, a suicide bomber rushed toward St. Mark's Cathedral in the coastal city of Alexandria, the historic seat of Christendom in Egypt, killing at least 16 people and wounding 41, the Interior Ministry said.

Here's raw video.

WARNING: Contains graphic images.

BREAKING NOW - Huge bombing in Egypt at least 21 killed, 25 wounded, in explosion at church north of Cairo pic.twitter.com/dcZBIZWPDJ

— Kevin W. (@kwilli1046) April 9, 2017

This is horrific.

I was at Palm Sunday Mass yesterday. It's a longer than usual service for Catholics. I prayed and listened to the Passion, trying to really focus rather than drifting off and thinking about all the things I have to do this week in preparation for our Easter celebration. No bombs, no murders, no heartbreak disrupted the Mass. In short, it was another Palm Sunday.

For these Christians in Egypt, it was anything but just another Palm Sunday.

As Holy Week begins, ISIS celebrates and Christians mourn.