But what made this a Good Friday was the respect paid by the Muslim community to their Coptic neighbours. Instead of the ear-drum bursting midday prayers, broadcast from loudspeakers on every minaret, along with a half hour of the Call to Prayer beforehand, the Call today was much less loud and shorter, and the service itself was not broadcast. I don't know if this was just in Luxor or throughout Egypt, but I for one appreciated it. The other services later in the day were also much briefer and less loud than on a normal Friday.
The Coptic church is not celebrating Easter this year in its normal extravagant manner but is restricting services to prayers following the atrocities of Palm Sunday.
I look forward to seeing if next Monday's holiday, sniffing the breeze, is celebrated as usual or is also muted.