Sherif Ismail, Prime Minister, met HH Pope Tawadros II Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the see of Saint Mark, on Monday, to discuss a number of files including the controversial construction of churches bill.
The government source revealed to “youm7” that the government is currently working on an agreement between all parties to finalize building churches law and present it to the House of Representatives soon.
Anba Beeman, Bishop of Qus and Nakada and head of the crisis committee of the Coptic Church, confirmed that Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the see of Saint Mark, called Archbishops and Bishops members of the Holy Synod for an emergency meeting next Wednesday to discuss the latest developments of church building bill situation, which churches are negotiating for with the government.
The final draft includes eight articles that begins with definitions of the church, the altar, the community, priest, the governor and Legal representative of the community defined in the bill as a natural non-clerics person, the only one responsible to take all actions relating to licensing in accordance with the provisions of the law .
The project also included the definition of “Retreat House” which includes accommodation and places to practice Spiritual, cultural and recreational activities, beside a place for Eucharist making, which is defined as a place inside the church or attached to for Eucharist making, and complied with all the requirements of health and safety standards, as specified in the law.
And take into account that the Church that require a license to be built and its’ outbuilding to commensurate with the number and needs of the Christian citizens in the region that the church will be built in, taking into account population growth rates. It is permissible that the church consists of more than one of the following: altar, tribune, nave, more than a bowl, baptism fount and minaret.
