The Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt celebrated Christmas Friday amid tightened security
in the wake of threats by Islamic extremists to carry out more attacks against the
minority community. Tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces monitored
Christian places of worship throughout the country.
In Abbassiya Cathedral
in Cairo, Coptic Patriarch Shenouda III presided over mass Thursday night in which
he recalled "the martyrdom of many innocent people" in Alexandria. Mass was attended
by several members of government and the two sons of President Mubarak.
In
the Church of Saints in Alexandria, where a 23 people died and 80 others were seriously
wounded in a New Years bomb attack, the Christian community turned out in large numbers
for Christmas eve mass. Outside the building, in a sign of solidarity, a group of
Muslims held vigil, carrying banners that read “no to terrorism, yes to citizenship”
and “long live the cross and the crescent”.
On Thursday, marking the Feast
of the Epiphany, Pope Benedict XVI offered special greetings to all the faithful of
the Eastern Churches, which celebrate Christmas Friday, praying that the Goodness
of God might give comfort to those communities, which are at present facing trials
On
Friday meanwhile, Egyptian press published a statement written by the Apostolic Nuncio
to Egypt, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, at the request of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
in Cairo, clarifying Pope Benedict’s words on the attacks against the Christian faithful
of Alexandria, in his January 2nd Angelus address.
In the statement Archbishop
Fitzgerald stresses first, the Pope’s “recognition that the attack on Christians has
an effect on the whole population”, and then his “appeal to respond to the attack
in a non-violent way”.
The Nuncio also refers to the Holy Father’s message
for the 44th World Day for Peace; “Religious freedom, the path to peace”. He says,
“although Christians are held to be the “religious group which suffers most from persecution
on account of its faith”, the Message extends its reflection to all believers. The
Pope speaks about defending religion as “the ideal way to consolidate the spirit of
good will, openness and reciprocity which can ensure the protection of fundamental
rights and freedoms in all areas and regions of the world.”
From these statements
of the Pope, he says, “ it is surely clear that he is not encouraging interference
in the internal matters of any particular State, but that he is appealing to all,
both individuals and governments, to respect the religious beliefs and practices of
different communities and thus promote harmonious and peaceful societies”.
Archbishop
Fitzgeralds statement concludes with the Pope’s invitations to the leaders of the
world’s religions to join him in Assisi in October this year to pray for peace.
The
statement in full:
Pope Benedict XVI and the Way to Peace
The
statement of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI with regard to the tragic attack on the
Church of the Saints in Alexandria has met with some criticism. It may therefore be
helpful to give an account of what the Pope actually said and of his recent teaching
on the way to peace.
As is well know, the Pope recites a prayer with people
in St Peter’s Square every Sunday. On Sunday 2 January, after reciting the prayer,
he said: “Yesterday morning I received with sorrow the news of the serious attack
against the Coptic Christian community in Alexandria, Egypt. This despicable act of
death, similar to that of placing bombs near the houses of Christians in Iraq in order
to force them to leave, offends God and the whole of humanity.” He continued: “In
the face of this strategy of violence aimed at Christians, but with consequences for
the whole of the population, I pray for the victims and their families, and encourage
church communities to persevere in faith and the witness to non-violence that has
its source in the Gospel.”
Two things are worth noting here: first the recognition
that the attack on Christians has an effect on the whole population, and then the
appeal to respond to the attack in a non-violent way.
On the previous day,
1 January, while celebrating Mass in St Peter’s Church, Benedict XVI recalled the
tradition of offering prayers for peace on the first day of the year. He said: “For
this reason, especially by means of our prayer, we wish to help every person and all
peoples, and in particular those who are responsible for government, to walk ever
more decisively along the road to peace.” He called upon people not to give way to
discouragement or resignation in the face of the negative forces of egoism and violence,
going on to point out: “Words are not enough; there needs to be concrete and constant
action on the part of those responsible for Nations”, while adding that every person
needs to be imbued with the spirit of peace.
He referred on this occasion to
the Message for the Day of Peace which he had issued and which is entitled Religious
Freedom, the Path to Peace. It is true that this Message starts with a reference to
the attack on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baghdad which caused
the death of many Christians. Yet the Message speaks also of “more subtle and sophisticated
forms of prejudice and hostility towards believers and religious symbols.” Although
Christians are held to be the “religious group which suffers most from persecution
on account of its faith”, the Message extends its reflection to all believers. The
Pope speaks about defending religion: “Religion is defended by defending the rights
and freedoms of religious communities. The leaders of the great world religions and
the leaders of nations should therefore renew their commitment to promoting and protecting
religious freedom, and in particular to defending religious minorities; these do not
represent a threat to the identity of the majority but rather an opportunity for dialogue
and mutual cultural enrichment. Defending them is the ideal way to consolidate the
spirit of good will, openness and reciprocity which can ensure the protection of fundamental
rights and freedoms in all areas and regions of the world.” It should be noted that
these words are not concerned with Christians only, but apply to all religions.
Finally,
after the mid-day prayer on 1 January, Pope Benedict recalled that October of this
year would see the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Day of Prayer for Peace held in
Assisi at the initiative of Pope John Paul II. Benedict announced that he would make
a pilgrimage to Assisi and that he intended to invite Christians of different traditions,
the followers of other religious traditions, and, ideally, all people of good will
to renew the commitment to live their religious faith in such a way as to serve peace.
From
these statements of the Pope it is surely clear that he is not encouraging interference
in the internal matters of any particular State, but that he is appealing to all,
both individuals and governments, to respect the religious beliefs and practices of
different communities and thus promote harmonious and peaceful societies.
Michael L. Fitzgerald
(Apostolic Nuncio – Ambassador of the Vatican)