Press Release from HG Bishop Angaelos regarding the attack on the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Cairo on 7 April 2013

We have just received this Press Release from HG Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Britain, which is far more truthful than the BBC’s reportage over the weekend that patronised the event as a religious fight “between” Christians and Muslims, wherease the Christians were only and in an emergency taking proportionate action to defend themselves, something that would be regarded as a basic right in an English setting.

As is well known, the Christians in Egypt are a small minority, constantly subjected to civil discrimination, deprived of the legitimate protection of the State, equality before the Law, and living in fear from unprovoked attacks from Islamist extremists with which the Muslim Brotherhood government, which rigged the framing of a constitution to privilege Sunni Islamists to the exclusion of Christians, secular groups and figures and other minorities, sympathises.

We salute Bishop Angaelos for his vigilance of the UK media when it can be deliberately unsympathetic and discriminatory towards Christians on the grounds, not of fact, but of the faith and worldview. The Society assures him of our prayers and concerns for his people, not least those in exile here in the UK with family and friends in Egypt, at this tense time.

PRESS
RELEASE

For
immediate use

7
April 2013

The Coptic Orthodox Church
UK

Media and Communications
Office

Statement
by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in
the United Kingdom following the attack on the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in
Cairo on 7 April 2013

While
the Arab Spring and uprising in Tahrir Square were expected to bring about a
fresh start for Egypt, the only true difference is that the situation seems to
have become progressively worse for many millions of Egyptian citizens.

Today,
Egypt saw an unprecedented attack on the See of the Pope of Alexandria, the Coptic
Orthodox Patriarchate in Cairo, by mobs, with the police arriving far too late
and doing very little, if anything at all, to prevent them.

Reports
have indicated that Egypt’s president, Mr Mohammed Morsi had made telephone
contact with the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, His Holiness Pope Tawadros
II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark, saying that ‘the
protection of the lives of all Egyptians, Muslims and Christian, is the
responsibility of the state.’ It is now clear that the state needs to take that
responsibility far more seriously.

We
have seen escalating and increasing attacks on Christians, Christian
communities, churches and now the Patriarchate during this past period of
expected improvement, and so questions must be asked. What are the authorities
waiting for? More bloodshed, violence, hostility, alienation, marginalisation,
division, or just more anarchy? It is clear that without intentional, pragmatic
and proactive leadership by the state, and the effective law enforcement by its
security forces, that this pattern of increasing violence and lawlessness is
the only possible outcome. With these incidents being dealt with in this way,
we see a growth of expectation of impunity and thus encouragement by some to
continue breaking the law while assured that they will not be held accountable.

Last
year, the streets of Abasseya around the Grand Cathedral of St Mark saw many
thousands of Egyptians, Christians and Muslims alike, standing to pay their
respects at the departure of our late Pope Shenouda III. Now those streets see
an attack on that same Cathedral. So what has changed, and how can we return to
the collective pride, passion and faithfulness of Egypt that we saw in Tahrir
Square in 2011 with the thousands flying Egyptian flags, and calling for a
unified state for all Egyptians?

We
pray for Egypt because we believe that Egypt, as blessed by God, still has a
chance. This chance however, hinges on faithful, pragmatic and visionary
leadership, otherwise these coming months and years will only introduce more
heartache, bloodshed and division that will inevitably lead to the decline of
the nation, that was once the birthplace of civilisation, and its individual
members.

Read
the full statement via CopticMediaUK.com or click here

For
more information please contact:

Angela
Mikhail

Media
and Communications Officer

The Coptic Orthodox Church UK

Tel: +44 (0)207
1937076

Media and Communications Office

The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre

Shephalbury Manor

Broadhall Way, Stevenage

Hertfordshire SG2 8NP

England, United Kingdom