site.btaEgyptian Copts Celebrate Christmas

Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church Tawadros II will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Christmas Eve at the Church of the Nativity in Egypt's new administrative capital - a tradition that began in 2018, even before the official opening of the temple. Ministers, governors, lawmakers, representatives of Al-Azhar University, the world's most prestigious Sunni institution, as well as public figures and diplomats are expected to attend the festive service at the cathedral, which is believed to be the largest in the Middle East.

Traditionally, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi joins the Christmas Eve mass, but his presence has not been announced in advance. The head of state issued an official statement greeting the Patriarch on occasion of Christmas and hailed as "deep-rooted" the national unity that has bound Egyptians together throughout their history. Coptic Christmas has been an official holiday in Egypt since 2002. The government declared January 7 a non-working day for state institutions and the private sector.

Egyptian Copts, who make up about 90% of Christians in Egypt, celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar. After a 43-day fast, the holiday is celebrated with the fatah meal, which is made of meat, white rice, toasted bread soaked in broth, garlic and vinegar. Copts make up about 10% of Egypt's 107 million population. They are one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and the largest in the Middle East.