Egyptian President was first present at the Christmas service in Cairo

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah As-Sisi became the first head of the Egyptian state to visit the festive Christmas worship. On Tuesday evening, he unexpectedly arrived in the Cathedral of St. Mark of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the center of Cairo, where thousands of Egyptian Christians - Kopov gathered, and personally congratulated all believers on the holiday of the birth of Christ .

For many years on January 7, one of the main dates in the Coptic Orthodox calendar is an official weekend in Egypt. However, the president had never visited Christmas services before and, moreover, was part of the Cathedral. Therefore, for eight million kopts, namely, so many citizens of the country, the pyramid profess Christianity, and not the official religion of Islam, this visit has become a significant event, TASS reports.

It so happened that Muslims and Christians side by side live in Egypt for many centuries. However, the religious question has repeatedly become a stumbling block and a skillful instrument in the hands of extremists who sought to give rise to hatred between neighbors and to rekindle interfaith disorder.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak tried to actively pursue a policy of religious tolerance, but in fact, as Christians were admitted, they often faced open violation of their rights and experienced certain infringements from the Muslim majority.

There were also conflicts on religious grounds, skirmishes had repeatedly poured into an open confrontation, and New Year's Eve, January 1, 2011, for many became a black date. On that day, the church in Alexandria thundered an explosion that claimed the lives of 24 people who left the temple after the festive mass. So far, it has not been able to establish who is responsible for this attack.

During the reign of the Islamists, who came to power in the wave of the "revolution of January 25", many Christians left Egypt, fearing persecution and further deterioration of their situation. The overthrow of the Muslim Brothers and the victory in the elections of Abdel Fattah As -Sisi gave many Christians - and not only - hope for a better future.

In this regard, the unexpected appearance of AS-Sisi in the Cathedral during the Christmas service analysts and observers regarded the step towards the “religious revolution”, the “clear evidence” of the unity of the Egyptian nation, where there is no division in religions, as well as a “clear message” for those who want to push Muslims and Christians of Egypt.

On the tragic days of the 2011 revolution, Christians defended the praying Muslims, surrounding them with a ring and protecting them from possible provocations. On the difficult days of 2013, when, after the shift of the Islamists, their supporters began to set fire to and attack the churches throughout Egypt, the Muslims defended Christian shrines.

The Egyptians do not get tired of repeating that all of them are brothers, without separation according to the religious principle, and the present Christmas has become a vivid emotional confirmation.