CAIRO/AMMAN — In a few words, a simple invitation to Christmas services ignited weeks of fears and highlighted a widening gap between Islamists and Egypt’s largest minority.

Despite its electoral rise stretching from Alexandria to Aswan, observers say the resistance to the presence of Islamists at Friday’s Christmas services stands as a sign that the Muslim Brotherhood still has a long way to go to assure a community unsure of its position in the post-Mubarak Egypt.

In the spirit of a national unity which saw Egypt through a peaceful revolution and into a new political era, Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria extended an invitation late last month to all political parties and the ruling military council to attend this Friday’s Christmas services.

To the disappointment of some Copts, the invitation included Islamists, the Muslim Brotherhood and salafists, prompting a popular backlash.

The Maspero Youth Union and Free Copt Movement denounced the invitation as “inappropriate” accusing the church of veering from its religious mandate into politics and calling for an open sit-in to prevent Islamists from entering Egypt’s churches.

With the holiday around the corner, what was to be a symbol of unity at a time when Egyptians across the country select their first post-Mubarak parliament has quickly transformed to a reminder of decades of divisions and distrust between Copts and the Islamist movement.

The Coptic Church defended the measure, saying the move reflects the “historic ties” between Egypt’s Muslim and Christian communities.

“Pope Shenouda’s invitation reflects our desire for all to take part in festivities, including Islamists, and that we should reach out and not exclude our fellow Egyptians in this historic period of change,” said Kameel Sadeq, the church secretary.

“Whether political parties accept the invitation or not, if people support the invitation or not, it is their individual freedom.”

But as Islamists set to seal their victory at the ballot box next week, Copts say the question of individual freedoms has become a sensitive issue.

“There is a feeling among some Christians that this may be the last free Christmas they will celebrate,” said Mamdouh Nakhleh, a lawyer and human rights activist.

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NOTE BY THE EDITOR: It is unfortunate that the good intentions of Pope Shenouda have been misunderstood by his own people.