CWNews.com - The Coptic Orthodox Church, which celebrates Christmas on January 7, is approaching the feast day this year with anxiety, after a wave of violence against Copts in Egypt.

Pope Shenouda III, the head of the Coptic Church, “is determined to celebrate midnight Mass, but until January 7 he could cancel it,” a cleric said. The Egyptian prelate has been urging his faithful to remain calm in spite of provocations.

Christians in Egypt complain that the government has not provided adequate protection for Christians, and churches are forced to rely on private security guards.

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