Pope Shenouda: no apology accepted from Mahran
Egypt, Local, 7/14/2001

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Shenouda III said that he will not make peace or accept any apology from Mamdouh Mahran, the chief editor of independent A1 Nabaa after humiliating the Coptic Orthodox Church in such a manner.

He vehemently rejects any attempts for conciliation with A1 Nabaa and its editor in chief, he said at his weekly sermon at St. Mark's Cathedral late Wednesday, describing any such endeavour as an impossible mission and useless.

Christianity is a religion of tolerance, but peace with Mahran will not be an act of tolerance but the relinquishment of the right to defend Christian sanctities.

The Pope's remarks followed reports on endeavours for reconciliation between the Coptic Church and the Paper's editor, who published an indecent story in his weekly last month on an excommunicated Coptic monk, and who held a press conference on Tuesday expressing regret and desire to reconcile with the church.

"In this case, there is no reconciliation, the Pope said, because he would accept a personal humiliation, but not the humiliation of the Christian symbols, sanctities and tenets," he added.

"The Pope, denying Mahran's allegations at the press conference that they were friends, said he welcomes any guest and all those wishing to meet him but this does not mean that every visitor is his friend," he said.

"If Mahran were a true friend, what right does he have to offend the Egyptian church in such a manner," the Pope questioned. "An apology and conciliation are useless," he said.

"How can Mahran correct what he already did by his publications and the regrettable effect they had and that spread to all parts of the world," he questioned. "Every wrongdoer has to bear the consequences of his mistakes," he added.

Mahran's story triggered widespread anger and condemnations by the Coptic Christians, government officials and the media.

Last week, the Administrative Judicial Court ordered the closure of Al Nabaa for abusing its right to the freedom of the press.

Mahran was referred to an emergency state security court on charges of sedition and inciting sectarian strife. He was also stripped of his membership in the Syndicate of Journalists.

On the other hand, the Cairo Court of Appeal decided at its session Thursday to set the August 8 hearing to spell out its response on the suspended Al-Nabaa newspaper editor Mamdouh Mahran's defense request to contest the Abdin State Security Court.

The court requested submitting the bill of indictment while the defense demanded adjournment of the case for further consideration.

Counsellor Hani Amer, President of the Court of Appeal, briefed Mahran's defense on the Abdin judge's opinion in which he affirmed that the defense's challenge request aims at prolonging the dispute.

Previous Stories:
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  Procedures of Mahran's trial suspended till appeal is considered   (7/9/2001)
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