Egypt's Pope Defends Marriage

Pope Shenuda III says church does not accept judgements that go against Gospels, religious freedom.

CAIRO - Egypt's Coptic Orthodox pope on Tuesday urged a high court to review its decision to allow Coptic Christians to remarry following divorce, which is forbidden by the church.

"The decision must be reviewed, otherwise it would mean that Copts have been suffering and we are putting pressure on them through religion," Pope Shenuda III said.

"The church respects the law but it does not accept judgements that go against the Gospels and against religious freedom, which is guaranteed by the constitution," he told reporters.

"Marriage for us is sacred and a religious act, not a simple administrative act," he continued adding that church could "absolutely not apply" the court's decision.

Last month Egypt's High Administrative Court ordered the Coptic church to allow its faithful to remarry, quashing an appeal by Shenuda.

The ruling related to the case of Hani Wasfi, an Egyptian Copt who complained against the pope's refusal to let him remarry after having been divorced.

Divorce is forbidden by the Coptic church except in proven cases of adultery, or if a spouse converts to another religion or branch of Christianity. Civil marriage alone, without a religious ceremony, is not recognised in Egypt.

Asked if he would ask President Hosni Mubarak to intervene in the matter Shenuda said: "We could ask but we wouldn't want to embarrass him if he doesn't want to intervene in the judiciary's decisions."

"But he could intervene if he finds that the ruling has caused suffering for a large part of the population," he said.

Copts make up about 10 percent of the country's 80-million largely Muslim population, and are the Middle East's biggest Christian community.

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