Yesterday Friday 11 November witnessed a 50,000-strong funeral march to celebrate the arbaeen (literally, forty; denoting the passage of 40 days since a death had occurred; the tradition goes back to ancient Egypt and relates to the process of mummification)
WATANI International
12 November 2011
Yesterday Friday 11 November witnessed a 50,000-strong funeral march to celebrate the arbaeen (literally, forty; denoting the passage of 40 days since a death had occurred; the tradition goes back to ancient Egypt and relates to the process of mummification) of the Maspero victims. Twenty-seven Coptic men and one Muslim had lost their lives on 9 October during a brutal attack by the army against a peaceful Coptic demonstration in Maspero, Cairo, which had been conducted to protest against the demolition and burning of a church in Merinab, Aswan, at the hands of Muslim hardliners.
At 2:00pm, the Friday march began near the St Mark Coptic cathedral in Abbassiya, Cairo. Organised by the Maspero Youth Union (MYU) and the al-Kateeba al-Teebiya (the Theban Militia) Coptic youth movements, the march was joined by thousands of Copts, members of political movements and parties and a number of rights activists and public figures. It started with the Egyptian national anthem sung in both Coptic and Arabic, then moved towards Ramsis Street to the sounds of brass and drum music played by the boy scouts of the Coptic Church. Leading the march was a coffin on which stood the photographs of the victims. Then came rows of girls in Pharoanic dress, followed by young men and women in rows of black, white and red, the colours of the Egyptian flag.
The marchers carried banners that called for justice for Copts, a fair investigation into what has notoriously become known as the Maspero massacre, and taking the culprits to account.
The march went through Ramsis Street, stopping by the Coptic Hospital where other marchers joined. It passed through Ramsis Square, in silence but for the music. The band played the poignant Coptic funeral melody of Golgotha, in addition to tunes of modern Coptic patriotic songs sung in Arabic, including Bless my country and Lord, preserve our country.
Passersby respectfully stopped, waving Egyptian flags; while many watched from their windows and balconies along the route of the march.
The marchers reached their destination in Tahrir Square, where there was more funeral and patriotic music, as well as words by several activists. The opera singer Azza Balbaa, famous for singing for the 25 January Revolution, performed several solos.
Finally, at around 9:00pm, Andrawus Eweida of the MY thanked all those who had participated in the march, as well as the authorities and security for protecting the march and maintaining order, and reiterated the demands for justice for Copts in their capacity as Egyptian citizens.