Pope Shenouda III has issued “strict instructions” to Cardinal Rowais Morkos, the undersecretary of the cathedral, that presidential hopefuls are not to use Coptic churches for the presentation of their electoral platforms, according to Melli Council secretary for the Coptic Church Camille Sadiq.
According to Sadiq, Pope Shenouda said candidates would only be welcome at the administrative headquarters or in the offices of high priests, but not in places of worship.
Shenouda’s decision follows presidential hopeful Amr Moussa’s visit to the Two Saints Church in Alexandria earlier this week.
Sadiq told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the decision stemmed from “the fact that the church is a house of worship and spirituality, and not a place to practice politics.”
Meanwhile, the pope met on Monday evening with the deputy chair of the Nasseri Party, Sameh Ashour, and the chairperson of the Popular Front for Change, Maged Hanna Wilson. Shenouda asked Ashour‘s opinion on whether the constitution should be written before the parliamentary elections, to which Ashour replied that the constitution should precede the elections. Shenouda did not comment.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
