Pope Shenouda condemns lax western stance on attacks on Nativity Church

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Nark Diocese lashed at the lax western stance on the aggression on Church of the Nativity, and the oppression suffered by the Palestinian people in general.

In his weekly sermon Wednesday night, the Pope said the Church of the Nativity is not an ordinary church but rather a historical religious symbol and was built on the site of Jesus Christ's birthplace.

He noted that such laxity and indifference in tackling the issue of the Church of the Nativity was due to absence of genuine piety and the prevailing of a secular spirit that has no interest in protecting religious sanctities.

He stressed that "Jews could not be trusted to protect sanctities as they were the first to desecrate them and all know their attitude in past history when they fought Jesus Christ and refused to acknowledge his mission and teachings."