Christians are being asked to pray for a major evangelistic festival underway in Egypt.

The festival is taking place over four days in the desert north of Cairo.

Around 50,000 people are expected to come to the festival, which started on Thursday and centres on the theme of the change Jesus brings to people's lives.

A worship service will take place at the end of each day, during which people will be asked to put their faith in Jesus.

The Christian leader behind the festival, who cannot be named for security reasons, is asking for prayer.

"There is no doubt that God is moving in Egypt and showing Himself in mighty ways to many of His children, and to many who are seeking to know Him," the contact told Open Doors.

"The hunger to know about Jesus and to get to know more about the Christian faith is phenomenal."

Christians in Egypt continue to live faithfully in spite of the increased pressure that has come in the wake of the Arab Spring and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood to the country's new leaders.

Just this month, a Christian youth festival in the desert was attended by around 10,000 people.

The contact continued: "These are, indeed, difficult times we live in today. With all the political, social, economic and religious challenges we have faced here in the last few months, all Egyptians are left with many uncertainties and concerns about the present and future.

"But we Christians of Egypt are realising more and more every day that God is visiting our country with a powerful divine presence, and that the things He is going to do in our country are beyond imagination. This is what we pray for and this is what we are waiting in faith to see happening."