Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - Once again this year, according to custom, parishes and Christian families in Egypt organize spontaneously at the end of the day the so-called "banquet of unity", social occasions in particular offered to neighbors and fellow Muslims who in these weeks observe, from dawn to dusk, the fast prescribed in the holy month of Ramadan.
In recent weeks, some representatives of the Coptic Orthodox Church had given the general guideline to use the resources allocated to banquets to finance social projects and assistance, beginning with those of the Fund "Long live Egypt", launched by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after his election. It does not seem, however, that the official solicitation was followed at a capillary level. The sites related to the Coptic community describe the special initiatives taken such as scout groups that distribute food and drinks to their Muslim neighbors.
"The practice of organizing banquets and distributing snacks - explains to Agenzia Fides Anba Antonios Aziz Mina, the Coptic Catholic Bishop of Guizeh - is just one of the ways of how Christians show their participation during Ramadan. At work, Christians too fast, abstaining from food and water for respect and solidarity towards fellow Muslims". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 26/06/2015)
