The new regional ecclesiastical councils introduced on Wednesday new personal status regulations for the members of the Coptic Orthodox Church in all dioceses inside and outside Egypt.
The Cairo Ecclesiastical Council met on Wednesday to discuss the administrative structure and work of the Regional Council, which began its work after a 6 month-delay, following the approval of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The Church approved the establishment of 6 regional councils instead of the Central Council, headed by H.G. Bishop Paula of Tanta.
H.G. Bishop Daniel of Maadi, president of Cairo Ecclesiastical Council said: "We have met to discuss the roles with priests and members of the council. The Council will meet today, in its new headquarters in Maadi to discuss pending issues."
Bishop Daniel added that 207 complaints have been submitted to the Cairo Council. He pointed out that it receives complaints any time of week, meeting once a week to discuss them.
Hany Ezzat, coordinator of the Victims of Personal Status Association, said: "The decision to transfer the Council from Abbassiya to Maadi proves that the Church does not care about the people, because Abbassiya the headquarters were close to the people. The Church has moved the council to prevent the victims from attending the Pope's weekly sermon inside the cathedral and voicing their objections."
He added: "The Church promised a year ago to establish the six councils, but they have not yet been properly organized."
He referred to conflicting statements by the Orthodox Church, regarding resolving earlier complaints, that have been already decided upon, calling on the state authorities to intervene on behalf of the victims of personal status. "We are facing the IS of the Salafi Orthodox, which aims to control the private lives of Copts," he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
