Dr. Shawki Allam, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, said that Egypt is an Islamic country and derives its legislation and laws from Islamic law, which is suitable for all time and place. Allam denounced the claim of terrorist groups that the Egyptian law is contrary to sharia assuring that these groups don’t understand the purposes of Islamic law and misinterpret them for their own benefits. This came in his speech at the opening of the conference of the Faculty of Sharia and Law at Al-Azhar University.

Coptic Bishops of America and Canada hold their biannual meeting from 24 to 26 April at the Virgin Mary Convention Center in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada of the Mesaaga, Vancouver and Western Canada Provinces. The meeting was attended HE Bishop Serapion, Archbishop of Los Angeles, HG Bishop Soriel of Melbourne and Bishop Angelos of London as well as Coptic Bishops of North American.

Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church announced the official accounts of the Pope Tawadros on social media networks. The accounts are Pope Tawadros II on Facebook, @popetawadros on Twitter and the email is: tawasoul@copticpope118.com

Sources in the Coptic Orthodox Church said the church is going to discuss the unification of baptism with Catholic church I the upcoming session of the Holy Synod in June and July. Sources added that many bishops in the Holy Synod contradict the unification of baptism between the Coptic Orthodox and the Catholic church.

Sources in the Evangelical Church said that 167 churches were regulated by the government according to the new law of houses of worship including 8 churches of the Evangelical church. Joseph Talaat, legal adviser to the Evangelical Church, said that the Evangelical Church has presented papers of 1170 churches, and 100 services buildings of the Evangelical Church only.

Coptic Orthodox Church celebrated the martyrdom of Alexandra, the reputed wife of the Emperor Diocletian. She was secretly converted to Christianity. While Saint George was being tortured, Alexandra went to the arena, bowed before him and professed her faith openly. When she questioned whether she was worthy of paradise and of martyrdom without being baptized, Saint George told her “Do not fear, for your blood will baptize you.” She was denounced a Christian and imprisoned on her husband s orders in Nicomedia, then sentenced to death.

Muslims and Christians in Tabqa celebrated the restoration of the holy cross over the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus 7 years after it was destroyed by ISIS. The church returned to life with the first steps of its rehabilitation, announcing the return of the Christian community to the city of Tabqa after years of displacement outside.

Abba Angelos, Bishop of Northern Shobra churches, ordained a new deacon at the church of St. Mary in Baba Doplo in Shobra. The bishop checked the new buildings at the church after the Holy Mass.

Abba Wissa, Archbishop of Balaiana, celebrated the Holy Mass at the church of St. Mary and St. Anthony in Queens, New York, USA. The visit comes during the celebrations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as part of a pastoral care visits.

Dr. Abdul Fattah Al-Awari, dean of the Faculty of theology in Al-Azhar University, commented on the crisis raised by a former sheikh in Al-Azhar who cursed Christians in a school in the area of Mokattam, saying he was discharged from Al-Azhar. He added that the sheikh was returned by the Muslim Brotherhood and those who allowed him to speak in the church should be punished.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, received yesterday, Coptic heads of nuns’ monasteries who came to congratulate his holiness on the occasion of glorious resurrection. The visit comes as an annual tradition followed by the heads of monasteries including nuns monasteries.

Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, organizes an international trip to four European cities. The flight will start from July 15 to July 21 and will visit Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan.

The High Committee for the regulation of churches and service buildings, headed by Sherif Ismail, approved today to legalize 166 cases (102 churches and 64 service buildings in a number of governorates. It is noteworthy that the Coptic Orthodox Church has applied to legalize approximately 2,500 churches and service buildings, while the Evangelical community has applied for about 700 churches and service buildings, and the same number of Catholic Coptic Church.

Pope Francis and the Patriarch of Moscow called on the Security Council to work harder in order to bring peace to Syria. They issued a joint statement on Tuesday in this regard and called all leaders of the world to overcome their disputes and realize their great responsibility before their people.

The Vatican held a training course for priests in exorcism over phone at the Vatican headquarter. The training was attended by 200 Catholic priests. It was offered after the increasing demand to learn these courses.

Prosecution in Fashn, Beni Suef, decided to extend the imprisonment of 20 Copts and Muslims for 15 days in the sectarian attacks of Beni Manin village. 4 houses of the Copts were destroyed after they were broken into by the fanatics whom refuse to allow the Copts to pray in the church of the village.

Police in Qubba gardens arrested a man who tried to storm into the church of St. George. The man claimed to be crazy and he was naked while he repeated unclear words.

Abba Sarafem, Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox church Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, denied he ordained any deaconesses in the church. This came after rumors spread about the ordination of several deaconesses in the church that refuse to ordain women as priests or deaconesses. The bishop explained that the published photos were taken in a celebration of the choir and that he respects the church laws and traditions and is committed to follow them.

ISIS terrorist organization claimed its responsibility of an attack on a church in Quetta, western Pakistan. Two people were killed and 7 were injured in the attack. The same city suffered from another attack last December which led to the death of 9 worshippers.

Coptic monasteries opened their doors to visitors after its closure during the Great Lent and especially at the Holy Week. It s worth mentioning that Copts are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ for 50 days during which fasting is forbidden.

Spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church said that Pope Twadros II, will receive on Friday the Portuguese President Marcello de Souza at the papal headquarters in Abbasiyah. He explained that this visit comes in the framework of acquaintance between the Pope and the Portuguese President as part of his visit to Egypt.