U.S. Copts Association

Egypt’s Coptic, Catholic and Anglican Churches all welcomed a decision by the Supreme Constitutional Court to overturn a previous ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court obliging church authorities to allow Christian divorcees to remarry.

“For the church, marriage is a sacrament that the state has no right to interfere with,” said Coptic pastor Abdel Messieh Bassit.

Catholic Church Spokesman Rev. Rafiq Greish also welcomed the decision, calling for implementation of a proposed personal status law for non-Muslims that would allow civil marriages among Christians.

The court reversal has, however, ignited controversy within judicial circles, with some judges asserting that the Constitutional Court’s verdict represents a direct challenge to the competence of the Administrative Court.

In a related development, MP Georgette Quilliny denied rumors that President Hosni Mubarak had personally intervened to resolve the debate.

“Rumors like this only serve to tarnish the independence of the judiciary,” she said.