Coptic Pope Shenouda III received the family of Ayman Hamed, the Muslim guard killed in the 6 January Naga Hammadi slayings, in order to express his condolences. The pope was joined at the meeting--which took place at his papal headquarters--by Coptic bishops Moussa, Kirolos, Youanis and Armia. "You have my deepest condolences, particularly those children who lost their father," the pope said. "There is no difference between us--we are all children of Adam and Eve." The pope also told the father of the deceased that the church would cover expenses for the treatment of his injured leg. Rumors have recently surfaced that leaders of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) have contacted the pope to request the church's support for NDP candidates running in upcoming parliamentary elections slated for later this year. According to a source at the papal office, ruling party officials have also asked Shenouda to forbid his bishops from making public statements in support of Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency and potential candidate in next year's presidential elections. However, one bishop close to the pope said the church was maintaining neutrality vis-a-vis upcoming elections. "The church will never indulge in anything that could be used against it," the pope said. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
