AFRICA/EGYPT - “It is paradoxical that the tiny Christian community here which has to struggle every day to preserve its special identity should bear the consequences of moral relativism in Europe” a Catholic priest in Cairo told Fides commenting the June 18 pro-family demonstration in Spain

Cairo (Fides Service)- “As an Egyptian Christian I express solidarity with the organisers and participants at the pro-family demonstration in Madrid” Catholic Egyptian priest in Cairo Fr Samir told Fides with regard to the June 18 pro-family demonstration in Madrid, organised by the Spanish Family Forum which has the full support of the Church and society in Spain.
“We Christians in Egypt are a minority in a Muslim country. One characteristic which distinguish Christians from Muslims in Egypt is the indissolubility of matrimony Fr. Samir told Fides. “Although the law in Egypt (Islamic) allows a husband to repudiate a wife, Catholics in Egypt do not divorce”.
“With regard to legislation in some European countries to give same sex unions the status of marriage, Muslims here say and they include also the local Egyptian Christian community which instead has a very keen sense of the family as an institution established by God” the priest said. “It is paradoxical that the tiny Christian community here which has to struggle every day to preserve its special identity should bear the consequences of moral relativism in Europe” Fr. Samir concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/4/2005 righe 21 parole 233)