U.S. Copts Association

 leading figure of the Orthodox Church said there are about 1,000 churches in Egypt, which is not enough for the 12 million Copts currently living in the country.”The Church trusts President Mubarak’s wisdom,” said Shubra el-Kheima Bishop Anba Morkos, who described that wisdom as the best guarantee for Copts.

He told al-Masry al-Youm: “We call on the President to declare Nayrouz Day on September 11 of every year as an official holiday, as it marks the Pharaonic New Year’s Day and also the Martyrs’ Day. It is the beginning of the agricultural year for peasants and it is also a symbol of good.”"The Christians’ situation in Egypt is constantly improving,” said the head of the Coptic Church Media Committee. “Yes, no Copts have been appointed as National Democratic Party (NDP) Secretary General, but the Party has recently started including Coptic candidates in their lists for municipal elections. We do not call for positive discrimination, but for equal opportunities.”

He went on to say that the Church is constantly seeking to develop its visual media given the absence of Christian programs on state-owned TV channels except the Masses on Christmas and Easter. “We may launch a third TV satellite channel owned by the Church,” he added.

Morkos said he visited Pope Shenouda in the US just to be reassured of his condition and to review with him some issues concerning the Church.