Sombre mood as Copts celebrate Christmas

Dubai: It was a sombre night for Coptic Orthodox Christians as they gathered for Christmas Eve Mass on Thursday night, a week after terrorist attacks in Egypt.

"This is supposed to be a time of peace, and a time to enjoy with our family and loved ones. We should not worry about what happened in Egypt [but] try to enjoy everything that we have [been blessed with]," said Father Mina, who carried out a Christmas Eve mass at Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Jebel Ali.

Local festivities

Hundreds of worshippers filled the church halls in Jebel Ali and the Holy Trinity Church complex in Dubai as Coptic Christmas was observed on Friday.

The celebrations came a week after a terrorist attack was carried out in Alexandria, Egypt, where a car exploded in front of a Coptic Christian church while worshippers emerged from a New Year's Day Mass. The attacks killed 21 people.

Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church in Dubai and Northern Emirates had also expressed its appreciation of religious tolerance adopted by the UAE under the wise leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council members and Rulers of the Emirates.

— With inputs from WAM