CAIRO, Egypt, January 10, 2003 — For the first time on Tuesday, January 7th, Coptic Christmas was celebrated as a national holiday in the predominantly Muslim nation of Egypt.
An estimated 3,000 people attended a service marking the holiday at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo. A delegation of senior government officials attended, including Gamal Mubarak, son of President Hosni Mubarak.
According to the Associated Press, Coptic Christians make up approximately 10 per cent of the country's primarily Muslim population. Copts are said to generally live in peace with their Muslim neighbours, but have complained of discrimination in the employment market as well as under-representation at senior levels of government.
Last month, President Mubarak announced his decision to make the holiday applicable to all Egyptians; a decision that provoked some criticism among Muslims who believe their country does not need another holiday.
But Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported that last week, Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, the grand sheik of al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's foremost centre of learning, visited Pope Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, to extend holiday greetings. Religious Affairs Minister, Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq accompanied Tantawi.
Shenouda wrote in a newspaper column his opinion that the holiday decision shows Muslims and Christians shared common beliefs.
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