If there’s a saying that local critics of Islam like to fall back on, it’s probably this: If churches are built in Saudi Arabia, then there’s nothing against mosques in Germany. Apart from the fact that autocracies are not exactly suitable as a suitable benchmark for democracies, this sentence could now be updated. There are no churches in Saudi Arabia, but there are: Bishop Markos traveled to Saudi Arabia on behalf of the bishop of the Egyptian Church, Tawadros II, and held Christian masses there for the first time. And that too for the Christmas of the Orthodox Churches, i.e. on January 6th and 7th.
However, this historic news only made it into the headlines of the Arab media, and Riyadh has not yet commented on the trip. Perhaps there was concern that this news might not cheer everyone in Saudi Arabia? After all, religious ceremonies for non-Muslims in public spaces were forbidden there for decades. But in recent years Saudi Arabia has experienced modernization, at least on the surface: suddenly couples were allowed to disappear into dark cinema halls, people danced to the songs of scantily clad megastars and women even drove up in their own cars. But woe to anyone who demands political participation or even criticizes it.
Egypt has the largest Christian community in the Arab world with around ten million Copts
The royal family prefers it when you show gratitude for all the good deeds that are granted in the new Saudi Arabia. The Coptic Church also seems to know this, because it was invited by the controversial Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman himself, to whom the Coptic Church is now expressing its gracious thanks. In the latest issue of their magazine Al Karaza they are full of praise for Saudi Arabia, the “sister country that is experiencing a boom in development, progress, prosperity and openness”.
Finally, after all this time, a few details were learned: The fairs were held in the capital Riyadh, in the port city of Jeddah and in the east of the country – Copts and Eritreans are said to have appeared in large numbers. Egypt has the largest Christian community in the Arab world with around ten million Copts, many of whom have also emigrated to work in the wealthy Gulf States.
The fact that the Christmas fair could now take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time goes back to historical approximations in 2018. At that time, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the cathedral in Cairo during his trip to Egypt. The pictures went around the Arab world. A few months later, Bishop Tawadros II also visited Saudi Arabia. In an interview with Arab News The Coptic-Orthodox clergyman described the emigration of Christians from large regions of the Middle East as “unnatural” at the time, since Jews, Christians and Muslims had always lived together there. At that time, the Saudi authorities only agreed to a small ceremony in the private home of a Coptic resident.