Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Qibtiyya

Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Qibtiyya (The Curse of the Coptic Nation Group) is an Arabic polemical work by the writer Amjad, examining the history, ideology, and alleged internal influence of the Coptic Nation Group within the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q….

Background and Central Premise

The book asserts that an extremist faction known as Jamaat al-Umma al-Qibtiyya secretly gained control over the administration and clerical hierarchy of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt following the deposition of Patriarch Yusab II, the 115th patriarch, in the early 1950s Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1. According to the author, the group originated in the early twentieth century before the 1919 Egyptian Revolution through a monk named Antonios, in response to Catholic and Protestant missionary activities entering Egypt under foreign occupation Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…. The author argues that its followers adopted an adversarial and sectarian strategy, utilizing foreign mission resources while building wealth and influence to displace traditional church leadership Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1.

Historical Narrative and Structure

The book is arranged into thematic chapters chronicling the group's perceived rise and internal power struggles across different Egyptian political eras:

• The Fall of Yusab II and Rise of Cyril VI: The text describes the internal conflicts during Yusab II's papacy, including the 1954 kidnapping of the patriarch al-Mawsua al-Muyassara fi…+1. It claims that figures associated with the group eventually succeeded in installing Monk Mina the Hermit (Azer Youssef Atta) as Pope Cyril VI on May 10, 1959, purging traditionalist opponents by exiling them to remote desert monasteries Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1. The book also details Cyril VI's relationship with figures such as Father Matta al-Miskin and his reported falling-out with the movement in his final years before his death on March 9, 1971 Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1.
• The Papacy of Shenouda III: The work focuses extensively on Pope Shenouda III (born Nazir Gayed on August 3, 1923, in Sallam, Asyut), characterizing his leadership as the consolidation of the faction's influence over the church Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…. It discusses the church's financial network, trade in antiquities, expansion of diaspora communities, and establishment of coordination centers abroad, such as in Frankfurt Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1.
• Political Clashes and Sectarian Incidents: The author covers the political dynamics between the church and Egyptian heads of state, including President Gamal Abdel Nasser and President Anwar Sadat Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1. It highlights the escalation of sectarian tensions, such as the al-Khanka events, and details Sadat's issuance of Presidential Decree No. 491 of 1981, which revoked Shenouda III's appointment and assigned church administration to a five-member committee Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1.
• Polemics on Rituals and Politics: The text includes chapters accusing church leaders of adopting occult practices ("black magic") and analyzing political statements, the 1967 war, and Marian apparitions Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q…+1.

Appendices and Format

The work concludes with two supplementary articles written by Hatem Muhammad in 2008:

1. Al-Tayyar al-Inqilabi fi al-Kanisa al-Misriyya... Ila Ayn? (dated September 1, 2008), analyzing a speech delivered by Bishop Thomas of al-Qusiya at the Hudson Institute in the United States Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q….
2. Masihiyyu Biladina Laysu Misriyyin Usala (dated October 20, 2008), examining historical claims regarding Coptic identity and Egyptian origins Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q….

The text was distributed as a digital e-book across several Islamic web portals, including Islamway, Salafway, and Saaid Lanat Jamaat al-Umma al-Q….