However, the meeting highlighted a rare agreement between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Churches on their stance against homosexual relationships.

During their meeting, Pope Tawadros II expressed his concerns directly, urging clarity and consistency in upholding traditional Christian values.

Cardinal Fernández responded by acknowledging the importance of these values. He also mentioned the need for ongoing dialogue to address and bridge any misunderstandings or disagreements that arise.

This encounter follows the Vatican's controversial clarification outlined in "Fiducia Supplicans", allowing for a non-liturgical same-sex blessing for couples. Some have interpreted this as a shift in the Church's position on homosexuality.

In response to the publication, the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church suspended theological dialogue with the Catholic Church. The Synod also adopted a fundamental statement in which it reaffirmed its rejection of homosexual acts.

This suspension underscored the seriousness with which the Coptic Church regards the matter. It views any form of blessing for same-sex unions as contradictory to Christian doctrine.

Cardinal Fernández, head of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, reassured Pope Tawadros that these blessings are not equivalent to the sacrament of marriage.

The declaration "Dignitas Infinita" also makes it abundantly clear that the Catholic Church completely rejects same-sex marriages.

Path of Love

Fernández emphasised the Catholic Church's adherence to traditional teachings on marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. This position aligns with the beliefs of the Coptic Orthodox Church which has a similar doctrinal stance on homosexuality and marriage.

According to a news release issued by the Coptic Church, Tawadros told Fernández there is a path of love between the two churches. He also stressed the importance of dialogue.

Tawadros called for evaluating the results achieved by the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Dialogue Commission over its 20 years of existence. He also expressed the need for more effective methods and mechanisms for the Commission's work.

Pope Francis met with Tawadros in May 2023 to mark the 50-year anniversary of restored relations between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church. However since March, formal ecumenical dialogue remains suspended.

Sources

Katholisch

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

The uncertainty about the actual number of Egyptian Christians adds to the malaise that the debate about national identity fuels amongst them.

An overestimate of the Coptic population often goes hand in hand with a sort of ethno-nationalism that rejects the "Arabness" of the Egyptian Christians, the latter being considered more authentically "Egyptian" than the country's Muslims.

In reality, the issue of the Coptic population's weight would be less thorny if citizenship were defined in terms of rights and duties.

In this extremely delicate moment of political and social transition while the debate about Egypt's identity is raging, however, the question of numbers becomes vital.

In any case, the Copts are unquestionably the most substantial Christian community in the Arab world today.

Less hit by the emigration phenomenon (2) than the other Christians in the Near East (at least until recently), the Copts constitute Christianity's most vital force and a presence that is decisive for its survival in the region that saw its birth.

Islamic identity and Coptic sub-citizenship

From the beginning of the 1970s onwards, Islamist rhetoric has taken advantage of the persisting poverty and inequalities in Egypt (aggravated by a predatory and dictatorial regime) to denounce the failure of imported models and call for an integral application of Islam's principles as the only road to national salvation. Islamist action has become manifest, in particular, in repeated acts of violence against the Copts. Continue reading

Sources

• MercatorNet, from an article by Christian Cannuyer, from the Catholic University of Louvain
• Image: Tampa Bay Times

Martyrdom was not new to them or their people. For nearly two thousand years, their Church had prided itself as being the Church of the Martyrs.

If martyrdom was a central feature of the early Church, it had become the hallmark of its identity in Egypt.

Even as early as the third century, a quote attributed to Tertullian declared: "If the martyrs of the whole world were put on one arm of the balance and the martyrs of Egypt on the other, the balance would tilt in favour of the Egyptians."

From the blood of Saint Mark the Evangelist shed in Alexandria in 68 AD, the river continued to flow, each century adding its martyrs.

The names of the persecutors had changed; Romans and Byzantines and Arabs, Emperors and Caliphs and Kings. Each had contributed his share, each had attempted to end their faith, and each in turn had failed.

The horrific murder of twenty Copts and a Ghanaian Christian at the hands of Islamic State militants in Libya in February was followed by swift condemnations from around the world. Most world leaders described the victims the way they identified themselves - as Coptic Christians.

Pope Francis recognised that they had been "killed simply for the fact that they were Christians," and that "their blood confesses Christ."

Their murderers certainly concurred. They had searched the workers' compoundlooking for Copts - "people of the cross" they named them in the video.

Their beheading was in revenge for Kamilia Shehata, the wife of a Coptic priest, who had briefly disappeared in July 2010 before returning to her family.

Soon her cause became a rallying cry for Egyptian Salafis convinced that she had been prevented from converting to Islam and held against her will by the Church. Continue reading

Source & Image:

• ABC Religion & Ethics

This is the second time they have tried to buy this church.

If a sale goes ahead the group will rename it St George's Coptic Church.

Businessman Dean van Buuren purchased the church, Friendship Centre and neighbouring restaurant building earlier this year, despite the Coptic community placing the highest bid.

At that time, a member of the Coptic community, Sylvia Tawadrous, said she was not judging the Presbyterians for not accepting the Coptic community's offer.

Peter Wilson, of Reid & Wilson First National real estate, said he could not comment on the negotiation process which saw a Timaru businessman buy the church properties ahead of the Coptic community.

"There are no rules, the vendor can decide [who to sell to]," Wilson said.

Timaru Presbyterian Parish clerk Ken Falconer said there had been "quite a few" interested parties in the properties, but he would not comment further.

"I do not want to discuss it, it's our business," Falconer said.

The Coptic community is interested only in the church building and surrounding land.

They met and prayed there on South Canterbury Anniversary Day (22 September).

Previously the 28 members met at Phar Lap Raceway.

Immigrants and refugees from the Middle East and North Africa introduced the Coptic Church to New Zealand.

Timaru's Coptic community is one of four in New Zealand.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Differences in Easter dates are based on differences between the Julian calendar, which eastern churches follow, and the Gregorian calendar of western churches.

Finding one Easter date for both western and eastern churches is said to be an urgent matter.

This is particularly so in Christian communities in North Africa and the Middle East, where Easter is observed on different dates.

In 2014, the western and eastern Easter dates fell on the same day, April 20.

The next time the dates coincide will be in 2017 and then in 2034.

A representative of the Coptic Church has been invited to the next assembly of the synod of bishops, in October.

Continue reading

Having crushed his internal opponents in May 1971, Sadat faced the overwhelming challenge of trying to find a way out of the predicament Egypt was in after its humiliating defeat by Israel in 1967. After some hesitation, he finally moved forward by launching an attack on Israel on 6 October 1973. The initial success of the Egyptian war effort gave the country a new sense of pride and its leader a much needed legitimacy.

While the Egyptian regime maintained its verbal commitment to Nasser's socialist policies, the reality was a state bureaucracy and services network that had lost all ability to deliver due to population growth. The state's withdrawal from its active duty meant the rise of alternative networks to provide for the needy in the fields of education, health and financial assistance. Inevitably what filled the gap left by the state were religious institutions. Both the church and the rising Islamists witnessed a wide expansion of their activities, ultimately replacing the state in providing for the people.

Sadat was no friend of democracy, but nonetheless he undertook opening up the political sphere. The one-party system was abolished and political parties were allowed. But ultimately, his most important domestic decision, a decision that would eventually cost him his life, was the freedom he gave to the formation of Islamist groups. In order to counter the prevailing Nasserist and leftist domination of university campuses, Sadat allowed, and in some cases encouraged, the growth of Islamist currents on campuses and eventually beyond. More religious and conservative than his predecessor, Sadat did not realize until it was too late that he had unleashed a storm that would destroy him.

Copts under threat

Under Sadat, religion was increasingly replacing nationalism as the foundation of the country; Christianity was ridiculed daily in the press. It was only inevitable that this would alienate Copts, who were increasingly fearful for their future. On university campuses, Islamist groups began targeting Christian students. Clashes soon took place. More violence became only a matter of time.

The focal point of some attacks was buildings that Christians used for prayer and that had not obtained the necessary government approval. On 6 November 1972, an attack took place in El Khanka on such a building. Angered, the recently enthroned Pope Shenouda III (r. 1971-2012) ordered some bishops and priests to march to the place and hold Mass. Such a march was viewed as a provocation by Muslims, and the building was attacked again. The parliamentary committee tasked with investigating the attack noted that out of 1,442 church buildings in Egypt only 500 had the necessary governmental approval. It also noted that in the ten-year period from 1962 to 1972, 127 permits were given to church buildings and that only 68 of these were for the Coptic Church. These 68 included only 22 new and 46 renovation permits. The committee recommended a government solution to the problem, but none was undertaken. Continue reading

Sources

• ABC Religion and Ethics
• Image: Front Page Mag

The club, who currently needs to access to its neighbour's land to turn its park lights on and off say the private land is part of the club's history and it will cost the club $30,000 to redirect the powers supply to the club's park.

The land, now owned by the Coptic Orthodox Church was purchased last year after its Edgeware church was destroyed in the September 2010 earthquake.

The Church intends to build a church, complete with a 12 metre tower and gold domes.

Christchurch Rugby Club Deputy club captain, Nigel McAlister said the club has been locked out of the facility which is part of the Christchurch rugby club's history.

He says there was a lack of community consultation over the church's purchase of the land and the entrance to the park "feels like a fenced off prison".

McAlister accused the council of not considering the loss of services to park users and Club president Matt Hinman said the proposed church "just felt wrong".

Father Sourial Sourial, of the Coptic Church, said the rugby club had been welcomed with "respect and love" but said it needed to realise the site was privately owned.

"It's a change for them and we understand that . . . but it's not a public space any more."

Church representative Mofreh Saleh said the club had been leaving the power on when it was not required and were not paying electricity costs.

He said the council had taken the "legal and correct steps" to grant resource consent.

Saleh said the church would conduct "quiet community activity" and wanted to build "something beautiful for the city of Christchurch", he said.

Dr Nagi Bishay, an engineer for Christchurch Rugby Club sponsor, Kirk Roberts, has helped design the church and said it would be a "wonderful building" built to the highest of standards.

It was hoped construction would begin late this year and the project relied entirely on community and church donations.

Deb Jackson, from the Airport Guesthouse opposite the clubrooms, said she had "no problem whatsoever" with the proposed church.

"When that was a rugby club, we had issues with drinking and people throwing bottles . . . and peeing in letterboxes," she said.

The Christchurch Rugby club was founded in 1863 and is the oldest rugby-playing club in the world.

Sources:

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff