CAIRO - The January 25 revolution is having a momentous impact on the Coptic Church. “The Copts will ignore Church policies,” surmised Mamoun Fendi, president of Fendi Associates, a Washington DC-based research group and think-tank, during the 18-day revolution. While the former regime was in power, Christians usually expected the Church to solve their problems, refusing to depend on the State, and as a result isolated themselves from society. “Instead of just being ‘church people', the Christians will favour the ‘citizenship' concept since they are actively participating in the revolution,” the prominent thinker said. Church officials had a good relationship with the Mubarak regime and therefore advised their faithful not to join the protests. “The revolution has finished with the old ways. From now on, we Copts refuse Church interference and influence in political affairs, but we will keep on respecting its spiritual role,” said Mamdouh Ramzi, a Coptic lawyer and activist. Pope Shenouda III, the head of the Coptic Church, gave an interview on State TV in early February, in which he expressed his full support for Mubarak. “It was the first time in history that the Copts didn't follow their Pope's demands. They put their Egyptian identity before loyalty to the Church and participated enthusiastically in the revolution,” Atef Beshai, a Coptic scriptwriter, said. “The Pope should not step beyond his religious authority. We ask him not to speak on behalf of Copts where politics are concerned,” Naguib Sawiris, the Coptic business tycoon, declared. Christians account for around 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million people. “In a future civil state, Copts will participate as regular citizens in political life. They will only go to church to perform their religious duties,” Tareq Heggi, a prominent liberal thinker said. “The regimes of Anwar el-Sadat and Hosni Mubarak deliberately frightened the Copts with Islamist groups, manipulating Copts into Believing that the regime protected them,” Heggi added. Recently, Copts organised a sit-in in front of the Radio and TV Building in Maspero, central Cairo, protesting against the torching of churches in Sol Village and Imbaba. “The Church wants you to stop the protest,” Bishop Yu'annis, Pope Shenouda's secretary, told the demonstrators. But they refused to end the sit-in, chanting ‘We won't leave'. Such events prove that Copts have revolted against their Church, which is completely new in its history.
