The patriarch of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III,
has urged the government to find a solution to the problems facing
Egypt’s Copts.
In an interview on state-run television, Shenouda warned
that “failure to solve these problems will prompt some people to behave
in a certain way only to attract attention.”
Yet Shenouda stressed he was not pointing only to Coptic problems,
but also to issues such as unemployment and high prices which he
described as national concerns.
“We are all sons of these lands, and God
will judge us for our deeds and ask us whether we served the citizens
or not,” he added.
Pope Shenouda urged legislators to enact laws that accommodate all
sectors of society without discrimination and indicated that national
unity can be best achieved through unity in action, thought, and
sentiment.
He added that Muslim-Coptic unity must be reflected on the
level of political parties.
Shenouda said although the state also has a duty to try to resolve
the problems of Copts, problems are best solved with calm and
communication, not with anger and emotions.
Shenouda accused “elements
and political bodies with certain orientations” of infiltrating Coptic
protests to pursue their own interests.
In an interview with Egyptian Television on January 3, Shenouda said
not all members of the recent Coptic protests were Copts and that
several people have joined in the name of sympathy.
“They have nothing
to do with the problem, though,” he said.
Some of the slogans chanted were not proper and could not possibly be
uttered by a well-mannered Christian or Muslim, Shenouda said.
“We cannot prevent people from expressing their sorrow, yet I ask
them to express their feelings without violence. I am glad that many
Muslims joined in the protests, which shows that all are against
terrorism and sectarian violence.”
He said the attack has brought Egyptians together, and Egyptians must
unite against the enemy that aims to weaken the Egyptians’ bonds.
SIC: BM/INT'L