Written by Don Byrd
Coptic Christians observing Orthodox Christmas in Egypt are struggling to celebrate amid uncertainty and disappointment over the process of drafting a constitution. CNN reports:
In a recent interview with the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the newly elected Orthodox Christian patriarch, Pope Tawadros II, said that while Christians accept Article 2 of the constitution, which says the principles of Islamic Sharia law are the main source of legislation, they are worried about an article that spells out what those principles are in Islamic terms. “This new provision makes the constitution unrepresentative of the whole society,” he said.
In an interesting way of looking on the bright side, Tawadros emphasizes that things were never good for the Copts.
Addressing the Christian faithful at the traditional Christmas Eve Mass on Sunday, Tawadros asked the congregation “to pray for Egypt.” But he denied that Egyptian Copts are facing a crisis, reminding Christians that sectarian incidents had sporadically occurred in the country during the three decades of Mubarak’s rule.
Blessings on them, and on all those all around the world struggling for the freedom to worship according to their conscience. The development of freedoms in the Egyptian Constitution is a key story to watch throughout 2013.
