Media Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church said that the foundation stone of St. George Church in New Assiut was laid. The church was built in 1947, but obtained permissions for restoration and renovation.

Media center of the Coptic Orthodox Church announced that the second phase of the project to train church leaders in the ecclesiastical education development project will start in few weeks. The project aims to train 1000 priests and ministers on new skills in ecclesiastical education using the Bible, the liturgy, the teachings of the Fathers, the history of the Church and the Coptic identity.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, held a met with a group of young ladies from several dioceses at the papal headquarters of the Cathedral of St. Mark in Abbassia. The grills arrived from Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Beni Suef, Port Said and Los Angeles. This is the third meeting of its kind. It was entitled: we need to understand and included discussions about the church and the ministry.

A number of Coptic Public figures issued a statement to show solidarity with the Muslims of Jerusalem. Statement assured that Coptic Christians support peaceful resistance against repression of the Israeli forces that prevented the prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

For three days, Canadian and American Coptic Youth Bishopric (CACYB) held the first festival to introduce the Coptic Church to the Americans entitled: From Egypt I called my son. The trip of the holy family and the history of the Coptic Church were among the shows and stories told in the festival. Free Egyptian food and gifts were presented to the visitors.

Father Dawood Lamie, priest of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Heliopolis, said that people who love God need to tolerate problems like high prices and temperature. He explained that many people have the same conditions and never grumble because they love God.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, received a number of youth from the diocese of Benha and Quesna who have completed the summer program for language training. The course was given by professional trainers from the United States of America.

The total number of priests in Sohag exceeded 100 after Abba Pachom, bishop of Suhag and Abba Pernapa, Bishop of Turin and Rome, had ordained 6 new priests. The new priests are Fathers Pernapa Magdy, Antonious Faghry, Estiphanos Rashad, Flimon Fouad, Michael Moris and Youhana Potros.

In his weekly sermon delivered at St. Mary and St. Bishoy in Abbassia, Pope Tawadros II wished Mina Zakhary, the guard of the Saints Church in Alexandria speedy recovery and said the attack could have an introduction to a new terrorist attack at the church, but God has prevented it. A young man has attacked the church’s guard using white weapon.

Abba Pfnotius, Bishop of Samalut, ordained 33 deacons at the rank of (reader) from the church of Archangel Michael in West Mount. The job of the new deacons as readers will include reading the epistles and interpret them.

Coptic Orthodox Church celebrated the feast of St. Bishoy on Saturday. Saint Bishoy is known in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria as the Star of the Desert and the Beloved of our Good Savior. He is an Egyptian desert father who has seen Jesus Christ and his body is preserved to the present day in incorruptibility at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy at the Nitrian Desert, Egypt.

Abba Antonius Markos, General Bishop of African Affairs, laid the foundation stone of the Church of St. Mary and Saint Mark the Apostle in Kampala, Uganda. The celebration was attended by May Khalil, Ambassador of Egypt in Uganda, a number of diplomats and representatives of some bodies, and the Coptic congregation and clergy in Uganda.

Abba Basada, Bishop of Akhmim and Sakolta, perfumed the remains of the Apostles Peter and Paul in their church at the headquarters of the Archbishop of Akhmim on the occasion of the feast of the apostles. After the prayer, he opened the annual exhibition of the diocese, whose income is allocated to the sick.

Abba Aghabius, Bishop of the Dir Mawas and Dilja Diocese, promoted two priests in the diocese to the rank of Hegumain during the feast of the apostles at the church of St. Mary. The promoted priests are Father Maksimous Talaat and Father Matta Abdul Maalk.

Abba Pafnoteus, bishop Samalolut, ordained two new priests during the Liturgy of the Feast of the Apostles at the Basilic Church. The new priests are Father Abakir Fouad and Father Ibiphanious Younan, and they headed to St. Mary Monastery in Jabal al-Tir.

A state of panic among Christians was caused by mysterious signs on Coptic houses in Shubra neighborhood in Cairo which is known for the majority of Christian population. Police were reported and the matter is currently under investigation.

Abba Hadra, Bishop of Aswan, promoted 5 priests to the rank of Hegumin during the holy mass celebrated at the monastery of ST. Pachomious in Hager Edvo. The priests are Fathers Karas Wahib, Potros Yacoub, Angelos Kamal, Karas Morad, and Mina Tamer.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, congratulated the Patriarch of the Roman Catholic Church on his election. He wished the newly elected Patriarch success, prosperity, renaissance and blessing.

St. Tadrous monastery announced it will not be able to receive visitors at Abu Nafer feasts for security reasons. It added that the celebrations will be limited to nuns of the monastery.

St. George monastery in Khatatba announced it will be closed for 4 days before visitors. Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church said the monastery will be closed from June 24-28 without mentioning the reason or whether it has something to do with security issues.

The Maghagha Coptic Orthodox diocese issued a statement on Saturday concerning the terrorist incident targeting a Coptic bus on its way to the monastery of Abba Samuel on Friday.