When is the Coptic Christmas celebrated in Egypt

Asks natalia

A. Instead of 25th December, Christmas is celebrated on 7th January. This is not unique as the Russian Orthodox Church, among others, also celebrate Christmas on 7th January. All Coptic feasts are followed by fasts, the Christmas fast officially starts on 25th November until 6th January, but most people only follow it for the last week - and this entails only eating (non-animal related foods) for part of the day.

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Christmas is celebrated in a similar way to the west, with Christmas trees, carols and gifts. A midnight church service is held at 11pm on 6th January (and broadcast live on Egyptian TV) and ends with bell ringing at midnight, followed by a meal to break the fast known as the "fatta"which consists of meat and rice. Festive biscuits decorated with a cross are also distributed, known as "kakh".

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Q. So Coptics are Christians then I thought Egypt was dominated by Muslims

A. Yes Coptics or Copts (also known as Coptic Christians) are Christians as they believe in Jesus Christ and therefore celebrate Christmas. Muslims make up about 92% of the population in Egypt, the remaining 8% are Christians.

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Q. Where does the word Copt (or Coptic) derive from

A. The word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, which was, in turn, derived from Hikaptah one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. The modern use of the term "Coptic" describes Egyptian Christians, as well as the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language script. It also describes the distinctive art and architecture that developed as an early expression of the Coptic faith.

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Q. Are Coptic Christians native to Egypt

A. Yes, the Coptic faith started in Egypt when St Mark (their first pope) introduced Christianity to the country in the first century AD, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. Today, Copts still have their own pope, and he is head of the Coptic Church in Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

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Q. Are there any Coptic monuments and churches to visit in Egypt today

A. Yes, these are centred in Cairo where its main church St Mark's Coptic Cathedral (and the pope) is located today.

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Coptic Cairo is a term given to one of the oldest areas in Cairo, as it was the first site of a Christian community in the area, which was originally believed to be a Roman fortress town. Known as the Fortress of Babylon, the site still has two towers still standing that date back to AD98.

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On the same site today stands the Coptic Museum which is well worth visiting as it includes lots of original manuscripts, ceramics, art and stonework that date from 300 to 1000AD. The museum was founded in 1908 to "save Christian antiques from the ravages of neglect and foreign collectors" but it soon began to collect secular art too.

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Some of the best churches in the Coptic quarter include the Church of St George (which dates back to 681), the Church of the Virgin, Church of St Sergius (5th Century), Church of St Barbara (11th Century) and the Hanging Church.

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The Hanging Church (its name in Arabic means "suspended") forms part of the old Fortress of Babylon and is situated above the Water Gate, another point of interest when visiting Coptic Cairo. Most of the old gate is now flooded but you can visit its interior via a narrow and dark stairwell behind the stone pillars that support the Hanging Church.

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By Karen Anderson