An Egyptian Christian leader says he hopes Christians will be invited to help rebuild their country.

Andrea Zaki Stephanous is the acting president of the protestant community of Egypt. He told a Chicago radio station that Egyptian Christians prayed for their nation throughout the uprising. He also pointed out that Muslim and Christian protestors protected each other during the upheaval.

Stephanous said he hopes their participation earned Christians a role in leading the country as well as the same legal rights as those enjoyed by the Muslim majority.

Christianity Today reported that Stephanous recently wrote an open letter to Egypt's Vice President Omar Suleiman. Stephanous paid tribute to both the "courage and decency of the youth's movement" and "the role of our armed forces in protecting the safety and security of the nation."

Stephanous expressed the Evangelical Community's desire join the dialogue about Egypt's future. Stephanous noted that the youth of a number of churches had helped "eliminate the effects of vandalism and destruction," and appealed to more evangelicals to get involved in the cleanup.