Date of source: Saturday, March 31, 2012
Several scholars of the Azhar and its affiliate Islamic Research Academy welcomed the top Sunnī establishment’s decision to withdraw its only representative, former Muftī of the Republic Dr. Nasr Farīd Wāsil, from the constituent assembly drafting a new constitution for Egypt. [Ahmad ‘Uways, al-...
Date of source: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Coptic Orthodox Church's Holy Synod formed an 18-member committee that will make a list of nominees for the patriarchic chair.
Clergymen on the committee included Bishop Hīdrā of Aswan, Bishop Benjamin of Monufia, Bishop Būla of Tanta, Bishop Abrām of al-Fayoum, Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles...
Date of source: Thursday, March 22, 2012
I. Introduction
In 2007, Rā’id al-Sharqāwī, a retired Egyptian coast guard intelligence officer, provided former intern Maria Rezzonico figures on the number of Copts in Egypt by governorate. These numbers were never published and so, in December of 2011, Ra’ed was interviewed once more to compile...
Date of source: Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III is often praised, in particular by his own followers, for his ecumenical stances. The reality is, however, somewhat different, as the decisions of the Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod show. All synod meetings were presided over by Pope Shenouda, a strong and charismatic...
Date of source: Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The atmosphere at Pope Shenouda’s farewell today was not what I expected. At first it was dull, and then sympathetically chaotic. Entrance to the church itself could only be secured with a personal invitation, so I made my way early to courtyard of the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to witness the...
Date of source: Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Possible presidential candidate Muhammad Salīm al-‘Awwā said if he ever became president of the republic he will apply the Islamic sharī’ah on everyone, adding he will never allow a religion in Egypt other than the three divine ones – Islam, Christianity and Judaism. [Sarhān Sinnārah, Umnīyah Karīm...
Date of source: Monday, March 12, 2012
A state of disgruntlement was sparked among a number of Coptic Orthodox bishops who were absent from last week’s meeting at the Saint Mark Cathedral to discuss names of possible presidential hopefuls and others to represent the church in the constitutional assembly, according to a source inside the...
Date of source: Sunday, February 26, 2012
Participants in a conference organized recently by the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC) in the Lebanese capital Beirut called for all governments and organizations concerned to work hard to detect facts about what is going in the Middle East countries and enlighten the world...
Date of source: Monday, February 13, 2012
Bishop Bīshūy, Secretary of the Coptic Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod, called for establishing a council for Egyptian churches to be tasked with negotiating with the new regime to achieve Copts’ demands, stressing unity of Christian denominations to seek solutions for Coptic problems, including the...
Date of source: Saturday, February 11, 2012
Lawmaker Dr. ‘Imād Jād threatened to resign from parliament if People’s Assembly Speaker Dr. Sa’d al-Katātnī continues to refuse debating his urgent statement on a crisis that followed an informal ‘urfī (informal) reconciliatory session decision to expel eight Coptic families from al-‘Āmrīyah area...