CAIRO: Worshippers in six Naga Hammady churches protested against six priests who have filed a complaint against Archbishop Kyrollos, who is currently facing a church trial.
A church committee comprising of bishops and headed by Archbishop Bishoy- secretary of the Holy Synod- finished its investigation on Wednesday into the complaint filed by these priests accusing Kyrollos of alleged financial violations, and mistreating them.
Archbishop Mosa, the General Archbishop, told The Daily Star Egypt that the Wednesday session was the last session of listening to the priests’ complaint. Once this has been concluded, the committee will submit a report of the complaint to Pope Shenouda who will decide if the matter deserves investigating with Archbishop Kyrollos himself or whether the complaint should be upheld.
Archbishop Mosa denied the reports that the protesters in the six churches had tried to attack the priests. They only tried to express their love of the archbishop, he said.
About 1,000 Coptic Orthodox Christians from Naga Hammady, Qena held a protest at the St. Mark Cathedral in February in response to rumors that Pope Shenouda III had decided to subject Archbishop Kyrollos to a church trial. Protestors were concerned Kyrollos would be removed from his position.
Later 43 out of 49 Naga Hammady priests signed a petition raised to Pope Shounoda confirming their support for their archbishop, but the six priests who filed the complaint refused to sign the statement.
A source from the Coptic Cathedral told The Daily Star Egypt that the priests asked the Bishops’ committee to move to another church away from Kyrollos.
Bakhomous Foad, one of the complaining priests, attacked Kyrollos during his weekly church meeting, describing him as a dictator who limited priests’ authorities, and reduced their share of the donations the church received.
