The Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) announced Thursday evening they will send delegations to congratulate Pope Shenouda III and the Coptic Church on their celebration of Christmas.
Two delegations will attend midnight mass celebrations at Saint Mark's Cathedral in Abbasseya Friday evening. The Brotherhood delegation will be headed by Deputy Supreme Guide Mahmoud Ezzat and the FJP delegation by party President Mohamed Morsy and Secretary General Saad al-Katatny.
“[The FJP] will participate in celebrating this solemn occasion, in obedience of God's commands to treat Christians in a righteous and friendly manner,” said the FJP in a Thursday evening statement, adding, “Also, such occasions represent an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of communication and spreading love … in order to create an atmosphere for dialogue, as well as combine the constructive ideas of both sides.”
Shenouda has invited all political factions to attend the midnight mass, including the Salafi political parties and the FJP, a church source said Wednesday.
Shenouda's invitation to FJP and Nour Party leaders has angered some Coptic activists, who are angry over what they consider extreme statements made by some Islamists, particularly Salafis, against Copts, according to the state-owned Rose al-Youssef newspaper.
Shenouda held a meeting Thursday with an evangelical church delegation concerning a proposal to begin a dialogue with the Islamist parties that are dominating the ongoing parliamentary elections. The FJP and Nour Party together are likely to win an outright majority of seats.
