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  • People: Do not be afraid

    People: Do not be afraid
    By Ihab Shaarawy - The Egyptian Gazette
    Saturday, November 26, 2011 03:19:14 PM


    CAIRO - While many people in Egypt and outside are beginning to ask
    many questions about the future of this country, one man who looks to
    holy books for inspiration assures everyone that we mustn't be afraid.



    Krikor Okosolinos Coussan, the Bishop of Alexandria for the Armenian Catholics.



    "You have to dismiss your fears; this country is going to
    overcome all the problems, and prosperity and peace will prevail,"
    says Krikor Okosolinos Coussan, the Bishop of Alexandria for the
    Armenian Catholics.
    The phrase `Do not be afraid' occurs 62 times in the Holy
    Bible, one of them being in Luke 1:30, when the Angel Gabriel tells
    the Virgin Mary not to be afraid.
    For Monsignor Coussan, now is not the time for fear and
    speculation, but for working and praying. Last month, he offered Mass
    in an Armenian Catholic church in Heliopolis for peace to prevail in
    this country.
    What was astonishing was that many Christians of other
    denominations and Muslims too attended the Mass.
    "I wanted to tell the people that this is Egypt, where we all
    live together, with one heart and one faith, worshipping one God," he
    told The Egyptian Gazette, adding that the service got a lot of media
    attention and that many journalists abroad now keep on calling him to
    ask about the situation in Egypt.
    "People outside should know that Eastern people have a unique
    nature, which is why they can live together in a warm and loving
    atmosphere, whatever differences they have.
    `And this is another reason why I am optimistic,' added
    Bishop Coussan, a prelate of Armenian descent, who was born in Syria,
    and has lived and studied in Lebanon, Italy and France.
    He was posted to Egypt five years ago, since when he has
    always insisted that he wants to help all Egyptians, whatever their
    religion or beliefs.
    "Here we all live in one land, moving along the same path and
    worshipping one God," he said, adding that sometimes secret hands try
    to create divisions or rifts between the sons of this country, but
    these hands will soon be discovered and punished for their evil.
    "Today, the sheikhs and priests must walk hand in hand,
    telling the people, especially the humble, how strong their
    relationship is," he stressed, explaining that, since arriving in
    Egypt, he has maintained strong relations with people of every faith.
    Coussan regretted that there is some tension between Al-Azhar
    and the Vatican. He is now working to defuse the tension and stressed
    that he counts many Azhar sheikhs among his good friends.
    "Along with my friends, Muslim clerics, I intend to organise
    several activities and seminars to show the people how all the divine
    books urge people to live together and respect each other's faith and
    lives," added Monsignor Coussan, who doesn't agree with those people
    who fear certain groups will dominate the political scene in Egypt.
    "Why do we feel afraid of someone when we don't talk together?
    We have to engage in dialogue first. And this dialogue will be based
    on the divine books that all say the same thing: Live in peace and
    respect each other's faith.'
    Bishop Coussan stayed in his church in downtown Cairo
    throughout the revolution, because he wanted to be near the young
    people who were protesting against the ex-regime, only a few steps
    away from his church.
    "I wanted to be near them, so I could offer them whatever help
    they needed. It was my duty," said the Bishop, who considers himself
    to be a father for all Egyptians, not just the several thousand
    Armenian Catholics living here.
    He believes that those Armenians who came to Egypt in the
    early 20th century are a model for peaceful living and acceptance of
    the Other in this area of the world.
    For him, it is transparency and justice that will extricate us
    from the hardships we are suffering.
    "The absence of these two things was the main reason for these
    young people to take to streets, asking for the removal of the
    ex-regime. Now it's time to avoid the mistakes made in the past," he
    said.




    From: A. Papazian
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