Pope Shenouda rejects international investigation into Maspero Violence

MENA 21/10/2011 Pope Shenouda III, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, rejected demands by some families of victims of the Maspero violence on 9 October to open an international investigation into the issue, claiming that their mournful thoughts are causing them to make the request. The Church can not accept the demand given the current situation in Egypt, he said, adding that it could negatively impact the “national unity that we are all defending.” During a ceremony held Thursday evening at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasseya, Shenouda expressed his deep sorrow to the families of the victims and said he understood their grief.