Konigstein — The legal situation in Egypt is contradictory and makes life difficult for the Church, according to His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, the Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church.

On the one hand the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and conscience, yet on the other hand it enshrines the principle that Islam is a state religion in Egypt and that Islamic Law is the fundamental source of the legal system, Patriarch Naguib said.

Speaking recently to the German-based international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Patriarch explained that in concrete legal situations intellectual Muslims appeal to the principle of liberty, whereas majority of Muslims live by Sharia, the Islamic law.

Sharia, among other things, states that a Muslim cannot convert to another religion without incurring punishment, which may even extend to the death penalty.

Another problem facing the Christianity is obtaining permission to build churches due to a 19th century law that is still in force. However, there are some people in society, including Muslim intellectuals, who are advocating for change of the law, said Patriarch Naguib.

He said establishment of Church schools that are also attended by Muslims also helps to foster understanding and coexistence between the faiths.

The Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt consists of the least number of faithful, with only 250,000 members, compared to the Muslim-dominated population of more than 70 million people. The Orthodox Church has some 8 million members.

The Catholic Church has seven dioceses served by 11 bishops and 150 priests. The Church runs numerous schools and other social facilities, all of which are open to the members of all the other religious communities.