- Title: Egypt Coptic Christians attend mass
- Date: 6th January 2017
- Summary: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (JANUARY 6, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF COPTIC CATHEDRAL IN ALEXANDRIA CROSS ON TOP OF CATHEDRAL COPTIC CHRISTIANS WALKING INTO CHURCH SECURITY CHECKING BAGS OF ATTENDING CHRISTIANS PEOPLE WALKING INTO CHURCH COPTIC CHRISTIANS PRAYING INSIDE CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COPTIC CHRISTIAN ATTENDING MASS, MONA, SAYING: "I would like to wish all of Egypt happy holidays. And I wish, just like we love everybody, that they love us too, and quit saying 'there's a difference between Muslims and Christians'. We are all considered one people, living in one country together. And we don't want anything from Egypt other than that we live in security and peace. We don't want anything else." WOMEN LIGHTING UP CANDLES INSIDE CHURCH COPTIC CHRISTIANS PRAYING INSIDE CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MUSLIM EGYPTIAN ATTENDING MASS, MOHAMED RAAFAT, SAYING: "Of course, we all, Muslims and Christians, are one hand, and one community, and that's why we have to greet them on this happy occasion. We like to wish them happy holidays, and we pray to God that our days will be filled with prosperity and happiness, and that we will be living in love and happiness." COPTIC WOMEN LIGHTING UP CANDLES INSIDE CHURCH COPTIC CHRISTIANS PRAYING INSIDE CHURCH
- Embargoed: 21st January 2017 22:08
- Keywords: Egypt Copts Coptic Christmas Holiday Religion Coptic Pope President Sisi Mass Christian Christianity
- Location: CAIRO, AND ALEXANRIA, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, AND ALEXANRIA, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0045XY2GXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
Egypt's Coptic Christians celebrated Christmas on Friday (January 6) as per their calendar.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attended the mass in Cairo which was hosted by Pope Tawadros II.
Sisi wished Egypt's Coptic community a merry Christmas and happy new year.
"May God protect you all, may God protect you all. Firstly, I would like to start with 'In the Name of Allah the Merciful'. Allow me to offer you all my greetings and appreciation and wish you a happy new year and merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of us, God willing, to all of us," he said.
A recent attack on a Cairo church killed at least 20 people in December, renewing concerns over security in the Middle East's most populous country.
"I would like to wish all of Egypt happy holidays. And I wish, just like we love everybody, that they love us too, and quit saying 'there's a difference between Muslims and Christians'. We are all considered one people, living in one country together. And we don't want anything from Egypt other than that we live in security and peace. We don't want anything else," said one Coptic woman who attended the mass in an Alexandria church.
President Sisi has promised to protect Christians and their rights and avenge them after the recent attack.
Mohamed Raafat, a Muslim man who attended the mass in Cairo, said, "Of course, we all, Muslims and Christians, are one hand, and one community, and that's why we have to greet them on this happy occasion. We like to wish them happy holidays, and we pray to God that our days will be filled with prosperity and happiness, and that we will be living in love and happiness."
Orthodox Copts, who comprise about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people, are the Middle East's largest Christian community. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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