In the midst of several recent bombings in our Egyptian churches, I was happy as a Coptic Christian citizen to see the religious discourse of the Coptic church focusing on the beauty of life and its value after it used to focus on the other life. Abba Raphael, secretary of the Holy Synod, sent three messages in a sermon he delivered at one of these funerals. First, we believe in the heavenly justice, second, we love our country; third, we won t abandon our faith.
The fathers of the Egyptian Church told us that martyrdom in the Arabic language means being killed for the sake of God. It simply means being summoned for witness on one s faith. Our martyrs sacrificed their souls as they declared their faith before extremist murderers.
The meaning of this testimony is that the Christians witness to his faith in Jesus Christ and calls on others to believe. Therefore, the cross tattoos on the hands of Coptic Christians became a custom embraced by the majority though it hurts to make it. Yet, it helps to grant them eternal life by declaring their faith.
Martyrdom also means showing gratitude, which is the opposite of betrayal to Jesus Christ by denying him Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10: 32)
We have to search for a radical remedy for the imbalance that has been going on for more than half a century concerning the relationship among Copts, Muslims and the state. Solving this problem lies behind finding the reason behind it and not only extinguishing the erupted fire on the surface.
We do not say that the radical solutions are easy and affordable in this case. it is not as simple as issuing few ministerial or republican decisions. it needs to change Egypt into a civil modern state that refuse the systems and mechanisms of the Middle Ages, so as to adapt to the values and concepts of the peoples of the third millennium world.
