CAIRO — For the first time Coptic Christians in Egypt are able to celebrate Christmas as a national holiday. On Dec. 18, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak declared Jan. 7, the day that Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas, a national holiday.
Christian holidays are not recognized as public holidays in Egypt, which is home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East, numbering approximately seven to 10 million.
Egyptian Christians face discrimination in a number of areas of civil society, including public sector employment, education, the construction and maintenance of places of worship and the status of converts from Islam.
Churches and Christian organizations face special restrictions on the construction or repair of buildings used for religious services. Religious minorities are generally under-represented in Egyptian government.
A spokesperson for the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said, “We regard this decree as a positive step toward achieving harmony and homogenization between Muslims and Copts before the State. We commend the essence of the decree which demonstrates respect for the right to religious worship and the right of full citizenship for all Egyptians.”
Share with others: