Egyptian Christians receive right to paid pilgrimage leave

Egyptian Christians were granted a little more freedom and equality over the weekend as the country’s High Constitutional Court ruled that Christian civil servants should be entitled to paid leave to go on pilgrimage, just as Muslims receive to go on Hajj, reports Blagovest-info citing Christian Today.

Muslims have been allowed a one-time visit to Mecca and Medina since 1978. Judges ruled on Saturday that it is unconstitutional to exclude Christians from this right.

“The ruling is a major step towards full citizenship rights for Egyptian Christians,” said lawyer Naguib Gabriel, who has waged a three-year battle to win this decision.

The current Egyptian constitution, in effect since 2014, grants equal rights to all religions. However, in reality it is still a battle to enjoy those equal rights.

Over ten percent of Egypt’s 93 million-strong population is Christian, the majority of them being members of the Coptic Church. Egypt is also home to the ancient Alexandrian Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the successor throne to St. Mark the Apostle.

Despite this new freedom, members of the Coptic Church have been banned from visiting Jerusalem since 1980. Pope Shenouda proclaimed the ban at the time as a protest of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands, although the denomination does not forcibly prevent its members from traveling to the Holy Land. With the current Patriarch Tawadros II, the ban was actually cancelled, and the number of Copts, travelling to Jerusalem, is constantly growing.

Read also

UOC cleric shares details of attempted takeover of Odesa’s Trinity Cathedral

The priest described how OCU raiders allegedly falsified documents in an attempt to take over the Odesa Eparchy cathedral.

UA Baptist leader to US audience: There is no religious persecution in Ukraine

Valeriy Antoniuk called reports of restrictions on religious freedom and persecution in Ukraine enemy propaganda.

UGCC bishop urges Hungarian minister to back Ukraine’s EU integration

A UGCC bishop urged the Hungarian authorities to support Ukraine’s accession to the EU, pointing to the price Ukrainians have paid for their European choice.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra relics go on display in London

Seven relics from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra have gone on display at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

Odesa Eparchy organizes aid for victims of attacks

Volunteers and priests of the Odesa Eparchy are preparing humanitarian aid for those affected by the attacks.

Volodymyr-Volynskyi Eparchy supports families of fallen soldiers

A project of the Volodymyr-Volynskyi Eparchy combines prayer and psychological support for families of fallen soldiers.