The Coptic Church announces a conference on homosexuality. 

Orthodox Coptic Catholic Patriarch Tawadros II reiterates the unavailability of the Coptic Church to legitimize in any form, marriage among same-sex, while Coptic environments announce a forthcoming conference on the topic of homosexuality.

Yesterday, in the traditional Wednesday catechesis, the Primate of the Orthodox Coptic Church repeated positions already expressed on the question of homosexuality, expressing concern about the possible spread of the tendency to consider homosexual unions as options to put on the same level of marriages between men and women. In addition, the Coptic Church will hold a conference on the theme of homosexuality under the auspices of the Patriarchate, with the participation of Father Ibrahim Riad and will also propose courses for families of young people who manifest homosexual tendencies.

Already in the days of Patriarch Shenuda III, who died in March 2012, the Coptic Church had underlined its distance from the positions of some Western ecclesiastical environments. Pope Tawadros (see Fides 31/8/2017) had expressed his ideas about homosexuality on his recent trip to Australia. On that occasion, the Coptic Patriarch had reiterated that according to the Sacred Scripture, God created man and woman, and the only possible marriage is that between man and woman. This is why – Tawadros added – marriage between people of the same sex is “unacceptable” for the Christian faith and “is considered a sin. It is a sin”. Considerations on the question of gay marriage were expressed by the Coptic Patriarch during an improvised press conference held at Sidney Airport on August 29, at the beginning of the 10-day Australian patriarchal visit. (Agenzia Fides, 28/9/2017)