The movie, Aladdin, based on the Disney cartoon with the same name, was screened in  American cinemas on the 24th of May. The already successful film stars Will Smith, Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud.

Massoud, who plays the role of Aladdin, the title hero, was born in Egypt and was raised in his family’s Coptic Orthodox Christian faith. While still young, his family emigrated to Canada where Massoud grew up in Markham, Ontario.

The move to Canada did not change his religious beliefs or practices. Even today, he continues to attend a Coptic church in Toronto called the ‘Saint George and St Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church.’

The Coptic church dates back to the first century AD, when Mark, the Evangelist is believed to have established the Church of Alexandria. It is also worth noting that the liturgy of the Coptic Church is celebrated in the Coptic language, considered to be a direct descendant of the language that Egyptians spoke in the age of the Pharaohs. It is worth highlighting that Copts cannot be called Arabs.

Naomi Scott, the other star of the movie who plays the role of Jasmine, is also a devout Christian. She has borne witness to her Christian faith on many occasions, once stating that she could not imagine life without her Christian faith.