Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The Egyptian Orthodox Church has changed its policy after the recent verdict by the Supreme Administrative Court that allowed divorced Orthodox Copts to remarry.

At a press conference in St. Mark's Cathedral in ‘Abassiyyah, Pope Shenouda said that he is worried about "restrictions on Copts in practicing their faith."

The Holy Synod said in a statement that the Church respects the law, but does not accept verdicts that violate the teachings of the Bible and does not accept encroachment on religious freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.

 

Pope Shenouda said he considered second marriages "a completely religious issue," not an administrative matter.

 

He added that his stance on remarrying will not change "because it's not a personal stance; it's an execution of the teachings of the Bible."

 

“The Church and the state often clash, but the state here means the National Democratic Party (NDP) which kept dealing with the Copts as the only guarantee for its stability. Some of the Church’s leaders supported the NDP nominees, but the recent verdict devastated this relationship,” the author said.

 

The ruling brought back the inactive feeling of oppression which started to spread after the massacre perpetrated last Christmas.

 

After the ruling, relations between the two sides reached a dead end, as some of the senior bishops announced their readiness to enter the jail if the situation required so.

The Pope said it is unlikely that the Church will turn to President Hosni Mubarak to resolve this case. "We don't want to put the president in an awkward position, but we know that he won't ignore the ordeal of millions of angry Copts over the interference in their faith."

 

The diasporic Copts attended the Pope’s address despite their absence at the Holy Synod meeting.

 

The Pope was giving hints that the Church could leave the confrontation between the diasporic Copts and the state if the remarriage issue was not solved.

 

Pope Shenouda warned that the timing of this verdict was worrisome and dangerous. "The state complains about the stance of some diasporic Copts, but we calmed them down and now the state is taking a step that will jeopardize these efforts."