Egypt’s Coptic Christians Celebrate First Post-Mubarak Christmas

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Egypt’s Christians celebrated Saturday their first Christmas after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, amid tight security and a display of national unity to allay fears of the growing power of Islamists.

The Coptic Orthodox celebration follows an escalation in violence against the minority, an estimated 10 per cent of Egypt’s 85 million people, over the past year.

Many Christians blamed a series of street clashes, assaults on churches, and other attacks on radical Islamists who have become increasingly bold after Mr. Mubarak’s downfall.

Celebrations of Orthodox Christmas began with a late night Friday Mass at Cairo’s main cathedral, which was attended by prominent figures from across Egypt’s political spectrum. They included leaders of Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group whose associated political party has won nearly half the seats in parliament. » | Sarah El Deeb | The Associated Press | CAIRO | Saturday, January 07, 2012

THE GUARDIAN: Egypt's Coptic pope celebrates Christmas with call for unity: Figures from across political spectrum attend mass at Cairo's main Coptic cathedral amid fears of rising sectarian tension ¶ As Coptic Christians celebrated their first Christmas after the Egyptian revolution, their pope called for national unity amid fears that their community will suffer under Islamic majority rule. ¶ Copts, who use of a 13-month calendar dating back to pharaonic times, celebrated Christmas Day on Saturday. ¶ At the start of the festive celebrations in Egypt, prominent figures from across the political spectrum, including leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and members of the ruling military council, attended Friday night mass at Cairo's main Coptic cathedral. ¶ The Coptic pope, Shenouda III, commended their presence and appealed for national unity for "the sake of Egypt". ¶ He said: "For the first time in the history of the cathedral, it is packed with all types of Islamist leaders in Egypt. They all agree ... on the stability of this country, and in loving it and working for it, and to work with the Copts as one hand for the sake of Egypt." » | David Shariatmadari and Damien Pearse | Saturday, January 07, 2012