Egypt's Sisi First President ever to Attend Coptic Christmas Mass

[Draggingtree]

American Thinker:

January 8, 2015

Egypt's Sisi First President ever to Attend Coptic Christmas Mass

By Michele Antaki

In a historic event that set Cairo ablaze, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi made an unannounced appearance at the Coptic Cathedral where Christmas Eve Mass was being celebrated by the Egyptian Pope Tawadros II. The Coptic Church celebrates Christmas on 7 January because of its use of the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian. It was the first time ever that an Egyptian President was honoring a Coptic Christmas celebration with his presence.

 

Though famed President Gamal Abdel Nasser laid the cornerstone of the cathedral, he did not attend mass -- a clear signal that the religious dimension of Coptic Christianity was not to be wholly honored by Muslims. Likewise, President Mubarak was twice forced by protocol to attend a funeral there, but not a mass. Christmas celebrations at the cathedral were traditionally attended by government officials at the minister level.

 

Further emphasizing his recent declaration that Islam must reform itself, Sisi shortened his visit to Kuwait to be able to come and congratulate the Coptic community.

[Pepper]

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http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/06/africa/egypt-president-speech/

[SrWoodchuck]

I hope he doesn't suffer Sadat's fate. That is a brave man....and he deserves to prevail.

[Valin]

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