WATANI International
14 February 2010
Next Tuesday, the Upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi celebrates the Arbaeen Mass, which is held to commemorate the fortieth day after death—a ritual dating back to pharaonic times and echoing 40 days of the mummification process.
Pope Shenouda III is delegating his secretary Anba Yu’annis to officiate in the ceremony which will be held at the fourth-century church in Anba Badaba Monastery, 3km away from the town of Nag Hammadi. Several bishops will take part in the Mass, including Anba Kyrillos of Nag Hammadi, Anba Wissa of Baliana and Kosheh, and Anba Pimen of Naqada and Qous.
The ceremony will be held under strict security measures.
Nag Hammadi bishopric has printed personal invitations for those who will be allowed to attend the Arbaeen Mass. Anba Kyrillos extended invitations to the families of the victims. The bishopric issued a statement asking persons who wished to commemorate the victims in prayer to do so at their own churches. Members of the clergy from outside Nag Hammadi, as well as groups of people who wish to attend the Arbaeen Mass, were asked to send their names to the bishopric for approval at least two days in advance, provided that groups do not exceed 10 in number. Children and aged persons will not be allowed in. And vehicles will require special permits to go into Anba Badaba grounds.
The date of the mass was set after long negotiations between the Church and security apparatus to make sure it would not lead to any rioting. Friday 12 February was excluded even though Friday is a favourable day for Copts to hold Arbaeen Mass, considering it is weekend in Egypt. Anba Badaba monastery was seen as the best place to hold the mass since it is located 3km away from Nag Hammadi village.
The Arbaeen will also be commemorated with masses in various churches in and outside Egypt, and with peaceful demonstrations by Copts all over the world. In Cairo, “Copts for Egypt” and “Frontline of a Million Egyptians” movements are planning a march from Tahrir Saqure to Parliament in Downtown Cairo, under the slogan of “For the sake of Egypt…For Egypt’s Love”. The marchers will present a petition of three demands to Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of Parliament. All officials who failed to do stand up to their duty in Nag Hammadi, leading to the horrible crime last January, should be taken to account. Traditional reconciliation sessions in which the Coptic victims and their offenders are forced to sit down and ‘reconcile’, the victims thus giving up all their rights, should be abolished. Instead, the law should be upheld. Finally, a unified law for building places of worship should be passed.
Watani offers its condolences to the victims’ families, to the Church, and to all Egypt. We present this issue of Watani International to honour the occasion.
