Coptic pilgrims who had made it to Jerusalem for Easter are now back home. Among them are 58 who work at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and were honoured for their singularly dedicated activity by Civil Aviation Minister Yunis al-Masry with pilgrimage trips to the Holy Land.
The move is a first of its kind, and was taken by many to signal a lift of the ban of Coptic pilgrimage to Jerusalem. That ban had been imposed by Pope Shenouda III following the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979. The signing of the treaty should have brought on naturalisation of relations but, when this was not well fulfilled on the ground, Pope Shenouda placed the ban for fear that Coptic pilgrimage would be interpreted as naturalisation that went against the collective desire of Egyptians. Pope Tawadros II, the current Coptic patriarch who succeeded Pope Shenouda in 2012, partially lifted the ban for Copts over 50.
Dr Yunis had received Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem, for a courtesy visit at his office in the Ministry. Anba Antonios had been on a visit to Cairo before Coptic Holy Week which began on 21 April. He thanked Dr Yunis for his initiative in offering his distinguished Coptic workers the trips to the Holy Land, whereas the Minister said it was the first step towards encouraging pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Watani International
4 May 2019