• Its been three years since the Coptic congregation was able to fill the 3,334-square-metre cathedral that normally accommodates 3,000 to 4,000 people.
    Its been three years since the Coptic congregation was able to fill the 3,334-square-metre cathedral that normally accommodates 3,000 to 4,000 people.
  • Copts in the UAE are mostly from Egypt. Out of 350,000 Egyptians in the UAE, about 30,000 are Copts.
    Copts in the UAE are mostly from Egypt. Out of 350,000 Egyptians in the UAE, about 30,000 are Copts.
  • The Copts are the native Christians of Egypt, a major ethno-religious group and the largest Christian group there.
    The Copts are the native Christians of Egypt, a major ethno-religious group and the largest Christian group there.
  • Children dressed in colourful traditional dresses filled the capital’s Coptic church on Tuesday for evening mass to mark Christmas Eve.
    Children dressed in colourful traditional dresses filled the capital’s Coptic church on Tuesday for evening mass to mark Christmas Eve.
  • The Egyptian Copts stayed well into the night for gospel readings, followed by a dinner in the early hours of Christmas morning.
    The Egyptian Copts stayed well into the night for gospel readings, followed by a dinner in the early hours of Christmas morning.
  • The Egyptian Coptic community in the UAE celebrate Christmas at St Anthony’s Orthodox Church.
    The Egyptian Coptic community in the UAE celebrate Christmas at St Anthony’s Orthodox Church.
  • Copts in the UAE are mostly from Egypt. Out of 350,000 Egyptians in the UAE, about 30,000 are Copts.
    Copts in the UAE are mostly from Egypt. Out of 350,000 Egyptians in the UAE, about 30,000 are Copts.
  • The Copts are the native Christians of Egypt, a major ethno-religious group and the largest Christian group there.
    The Copts are the native Christians of Egypt, a major ethno-religious group and the largest Christian group there.

What is Coptic Christmas and how will Egypt celebrate this year?


Hamza Hendawi
  • English
  • Arabic

Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on Friday, nearly two weeks after most of Christendom’s other denominations.

Of the world’s Christian communities, the orthodox churches in Russia, Ethiopia, Serbia and Ukraine are the major ones that join Egypt’s Orthodox Copts in celebrating Christmas on January 7.

One of the world’s oldest Christian communities, Egypt’s Christians account for 10 per cent of the country’s predominantly Muslim population. Most of the country’s Christians are Orthodox, with tiny Catholic and Anglican communities.

A man poses for a photo holding miniature Christmas trees along a main street in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on December 31, 2021. AFP
A man poses for a photo holding miniature Christmas trees along a main street in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on December 31, 2021. AFP

Here is what you need to know about Egypt’s Christians:

Who are Egypt's Christians?

The Coptic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the first century AD when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. Mark is regarded by Egypt’s Christians as the first Pope of Alexandria, the original seat of the church.

Early Christians in Egypt suffered persecution under Roman rule and continued to suffer systematic, albeit intermittent, persecution for centuries afterward.

Egypt was almost entirely Christian on the eve of the Muslim Arab conquest around 640AD. It remained majority Christian until around the 13th century.

The genesis of the word “Coptic” is the Greek word for Egypt, Aeygyptus.

Who is the head of Egypt's Orthodox Christians?

Pope Tawadros II, 69, is currently the spiritual leader of Egypt’s Orthodox Christians. He is the 118th pontiff of the Coptic Orthodox church. He ascended the “throne” of St Mark the Apostle in 2012 following the death of his predecessor, Pope Shenouda III.

Why do Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7?

Primarily because of the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The emergence of two Christian calendars is steeped in a complex process that dates back to the early days of Christianity. In some ways, the two calendars are also a reflection of the centuries-old “schism” between the Catholic Church in Rome and the eastern churches.

What do Coptic Christians do at Christmas?

They celebrate Christmas in much the same way as other Christians, but with some of the western, modern-era traditions such as the decorated tree and exchange of gifts embraced only by the well-to-do rather than everyone.

The Christmas Mass begins around 8pm and ends at midnight, when worshippers go home to break their 43-day vegan-pescatarian fast with indigenous meat dishes such as the fatah, which is made of white rice, meat cubes and crispy bread soaked in soup and covered with a layer of garlicky yoghurt.

Will the pandemic affect Mass?

Yes, it will, but not much more than it has over the past two years.

After a period of total closure, churches in Egypt have since the summer of 2020 introduced a set of rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among members of their congregations. Face masks are obligatory and social distancing is diligently observed. Because of the reduced capacity of churches, the first-come-first served rule is applicable. Late comers to the Christmas service will be turned away.

Pope Tawadros will lead the service in the seldom-used cathedral built in Egypt's new capital in the desert east of Cairo. The number of people allowed to attend that service will be severely limited, but it will be broadcast live.

January 6 has been declared a national holiday in lieu of Christmas day, which falls on the Egyptian Friday-Saturday weekend.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

3/5

(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)

While you're here
How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

Fixtures

Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11

August 9

Liverpool v Norwich 11pm

August 10

West Ham v Man City 3.30pm

Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm

Burnley v Southampton 6pm

C Palace v Everton 6pm

Leicester v Wolves 6pm

Watford v Brighton 6pm

Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm

August 11

Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm

Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm

 

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Brief scores:

Toss: India, opted to field

Australia 158-4 (17 ov)

Maxwell 46, Lynn 37; Kuldeep 2-24

India 169-7 (17 ov)

Dhawan 76, Karthik 30; Zampa 2-22

Result: Australia won by 4 runs by D/L method

FINAL SCORES

Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs

(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)

Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs

(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

57%20Seconds
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Updated: January 06, 2022, 7:07 PM