Security tight as Egypt Copts celebrate Christmas

[tabatha]

A massive plan to protect Egyptian churches swung into action on Friday as Coptic Christians prepared to celebrate their first post-revolution Christmas, with Islamist leaders attending for the first time.

"The interior ministry has drawn up a huge security plan in cooperation with the armed forces to protect all the churches of Egypt at Christmas," the official told AFP.

For the first time, the Christmas Eve service led by Coptic Pope Shenouda III, will be attended by Islamist groups – propelled to the centre stage of politics after a popular uprising ousted veteran president Hosni Mubarak in February.

The powerful Muslim Brotherhood – long banned under Mubarak – is to send its number two, Mahmud Ezzat, while the group's political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, will be represented by its leader Mohammed Mursi, the group said.

http://news.egypt.com/english/permalink/76343.html

[David__77]

1. Good the FJP will have a presence.

Ecumenism is the way forward for the country and the region. The concept of sectarian hegemony impedes progress.