Egypt’s Catholic and Evangelical churches sharply criticized a government decree regulating Christian religious holidays, saying the policy enshrines discrimination among Christian denominations and contradicts constitutional guarantees of equal citizenship.
The backlash follows a decision by Minister of Labor Mohamed Gobran, which was announced by the Cabinet last week, to grant fully paid public holidays to “Orthodox Christian brothers” on five occasions, including Palm Sunday and Epiphany, while restricting Catholics and Protestants to just three.
“The Catholic Church in Egypt follows with great concern the recent government decision regarding holidays for Christian citizens,” said Bishop Ibrahim Ishaq, patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church, in a statement Saturday.
The statement expressed “deep regret at the lack of full equality among Christian denominations, especially regarding the celebrations of the Catholic Church’s children.”
“This decree is inconsistent with the Egyptian state’s national vision based on justice and respect for diversity,” Ishaq said, adding that the church is currently in dialogue with the PM and the Minister of Manpower to amend the policy.
Egypt’s Christian population, estimated between 10% and 15% of the population, is majority Coptic Orthodox, with smaller Catholic and Evangelical communities. The 2026 decree grants the Orthodox community five religious holidays—Christmas, Epiphany, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Easter—but limits Catholics and Protestants to three—Christmas, New Year, and Easter.
Separately, Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, head of Egypt’s Evangelical Community, sent a formal letter to PM Madbouly on Saturday, urging the state to unify Christian holidays across all denominations.
In the letter, Zaki emphasized that equalizing official leave would “enhance the principles of citizenship and equality, and contribute to strengthening national unity.”
Critics warn
The policy sparked widespread criticism from lawmakers, rights advocates, and church figures who say the decision revives sectarian divisions last codified in the 1950s, a time when official documents still listed citizens’ sects, and Jewish holidays were recognized in civil service calendars.
“This is an administrative fiction that only deepens religious division,” said MP Nancy Naeem, a member of the pro-government Republican People's Party.
“The Egyptian state doesn’t record religious denomination on national ID cards, and Christians move between sects all the time. Who advised you to adopt such a divisive policy?” Naeem wrote on Facebook.
She questioned the legal basis of the policy, noting that Egypt’s constitution guarantees religious freedom and equality among citizens regardless of faith or denomination.
Prominent rights lawyer Khaled Ali criticized the Ministry of Labor’s wording in the decree, particularly its use of sectarian phrasing like “Christian brothers” and its division of holidays by denomination.
“When an Egyptian ministry issues a sectarian statement, it signals a deep rupture in the state’s commitment to equal citizenship,” Ali told Al Manassa.
He warned that the decree violates Egypt’s 2014 constitution, which enshrines freedom of belief and prohibits discrimination based on religion.
Ali also called for an end to exclusionary language, noting that no official decree addresses “Muslim brothers” during Eid holidays.
Legal 'laziness'
Ishak Ibrahim, a senior researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the current decree appears to have “copied and pasted” a defunct 1953 regulation that was written in the context of a post-colonial Egypt still home to foreign Christian communities.
“Seventy years ago, New Year’s was primarily celebrated by foreign Catholics and Protestants. Today, it’s a national celebration marked by Christians and Muslims alike,” Ibrahim told Al Manassa.
He argued that the decree fails to reflect current religious practice or legal precedent, noting that Easter is already a national holiday by presidential decree.
Old wounds
The latest decision also omits key Catholic observances, such as the Feast of the Ascension, and fails to acknowledge common festivals like Epiphany, celebrated across Christian denominations.
By treating Easter as a sectarian occasion instead of a national holiday, critics say the decree downplays the significance of Egypt’s diverse Christian traditions and fuels feelings of marginalization among minority sects.
“This language of ‘Orthodox holidays’ vs. ‘Catholic holidays’ is outdated and dangerous,” said Ibrahim. “The workplace is a space for citizens, not denominations.”
Despite the mounting backlash, both Catholic and Evangelical leaders expressed confidence that the decision could be revised through consultation.
“The church trusts in the wisdom of Egypt’s political leadership,” said Bishop Ishaq. “We continue to pray that justice and equality prevail.”
