al-‘Abāsīyyah / al-Waylī / Cairo

Dr. George Ḥabīb Bibāwī was excommunicated from the Coptic Orthodox

Church following his latest offense against Pope Shenouda. The study published on the internet and summarized by

Rose al-Yūsuf aroused the anger of the Coptic Orthodox Church who held an emergency session of the Holy Synod.

The session discussed Bibāwī’s violations of the Orthodox doctrine and resulted in his

excommunication.

Bishop Kyrillos returns to the Diocese of Naj‘ Ḥammādī, amid

demonstrations of love in which Muslims also participated.

The angry demonstrations of the people of Naj‘ Ḥammādī in al-

‘Abbāsīyah Cathedral against Bishop Bīshūy’s decision to dismiss Bishop Kyrillos,

which forced Pope Shenouda to reconsider the decision, reveal that Copts can no longer stand the oppression of

priests.

The present tension in the Coptic Church has been brought about

by Coptic groups, similar to the political Islamic groups that use religion to achieve their own political goals. The

Coptic Church is under threat of destroying its leading role in national unity and Egyptian history.

The article discusses the trials of a Muslim man, Mahm?d Salah, who was charged with attacking Copts in churches.

Dr. Isaac Fānūs freely spoke his mind about the issues he found important. Dr. Fānūs was critical about ecclesiastical institutions and leadership, including those in his own Coptic Orthodox Church. In this interview religions are described as societal entities that humans have created and manipulated for their own interests. God, on the other hand, is characterized by love and compassion and stands apart from those institutions. Father Dr. John Watson and Dr. Amīn Makram ‘Ubayd wrote short introductions to this interview.

The author discusses Christianity in Egypt, and what it means to be a Copt living in a society that constantly struggles with social issues.

The article discusses Isaac Fanous’ contributions to Christian art and iconography.

In media it is now usual to criticize the racial discrimination culture and to suggest solutions by sympathizing with women by calling them “half of the society” and with Copts who are called “the other part of the nation tissue” without realizing that these names emphasize separation and division.

The Egyptian press has widely covered Christmas celebrations held by the Coptic Orthodox Church and presided over by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.