Long repressed in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has been making gains ever since the overthrow of the Mubarak regime, he said, but the court ruling means its Freedom and Justice Party may now have to give up some control over who draws up the new constitution.

CNN: Row over Egypt's new constitution reflects wider tensions

Abune Paulos, who died aged 76, had been the Orthodox Church head since 1992, following the overthrow of the Mengistu Haile Mariam regime.

BBC: Ethiopia funeral held for church patriarch Abune Paulos

But as Egypt's protest movement gained enough momentum to overthrow the Mubarak government, Salafists, many of whom had experienced imprisonment or torture under his regime, eagerly joined in.

ECONOMIST: Islam and the Arab revolutions