Abba Markos, Archbishop of Shubra al-Khaimah, celebrated the Holy Mass at the Papal Headquarters of New Jersey, USA. He is currently visiting the United States of America in a pastoral care visit starting with New Jersey.

Former acting Patriarch Archbishop Pachomios promoted today two priests of the secretariat of Pope Tawadros II to the rank of Hegumin. Father Amonius Adel and Father Angelos Isaac were promoted on their churches in Damanhour.

The priests of Ezbet Najib Church in Matai Center presented official papers to the governor of Minya to obtain a license for the service building in order to hold religious services. Police have shut down the service building based on complains from the Muslims of the village.

In a customary reconciliation session between the Copts and Muslims of Ezbet Naguib in Matai Center, it was agreed to close the church till its documents are completed. The security authorities pledged to quickly look at the papers and issue the permits as soon as possible.

The Church of St. George and St. Demiana in Utrecht, the Netherlands, celebrated the feast of the martyrdom of St. George. The Holy Mass was presided over by Bishop Arsani of the Netherlands and Belgium, and Bishop Dawood of Mansoura and a number of priests of the Netherlands.

St. Samuel monastery in Minya was reclosed after it was opened during the feasts of Resurrection and Sham el-Nessim. The road to the monastery was secured by police and was inspected by head of security and a number of senior officials. One of the monks told Copts Untied that the mobile networks signals are currently good, and hoped the road to the monastery will be paved soon.

The Catholic Church in Egypt celebrates on May 1, the Patriarchal inauguration of Cardinal Abba Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church. He was born in Minya on 18 March 1935,and studied at the Franciscan nuns school in Beni Suef. He joined the small seminary in Fajjala, Cairo, where he studied at the Holy Family School of the Jesuit Fathers. He traveled to Rome to complete his study and obtained BA of Theology from the European University, Diploma of Sociology from a specialized center, and the Bible from the Pontifical Bible Institute. The Patriarchal Synod elected him Archbishop of Minya, and was elected Patriarch on 30 March 200

His Grace Bishop Garajius of Matai solved the problem of Ezbet Nagubit Church that police tried to shut down after extremists demanded its closure. Congreagation of the church demonstrated rejecting its closure and demanding to be allowed to pray. Bishop of Matai agreed with the officials to complete

A sectarian strife is at hand in Mit Nama, Qaliobia, as the fanatics are inciting against the Copts in the area claiming they pray without permit in a new building. The church has obtained all due permits, but the building was not completed after the fanatics interfered and supported by police.

Eropean Union of Coptic Organizations for Human Rights issued a statement to offer condolences to the families and victims of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, which killed more than 300 innocent people and injured hundreds. The Federation of Coptic Organizations said that Islamic leaders are responsible for these terrorist acts, which are the natural result of a history of blood praised and explained in the books of the predecessor that religious institutes still study these books that glorify terrorism.

The Criminal Court of Minya postponed three cases related to the Copts for the next 24 June, including the case of the killing of Iskandar Tous and the burning and looting of houses of the Copts of the village of Dalja in Minya, which dates back to 2013 after the dispersal of Rabaa Adawia sit-in as well as the stripping of Soad Thabet in Karm village as well as the attacks on Coptic houses of the village after rumors about romantic relationship between her son and a Muslim woman. Dr. Ihab Ramzi, head of the defense team in the three cases, said that Beni Suef s appeal set the first hearing of the three cases said that it was expected to postpone the cases since they coincide with the referendum on the constitutional amendments.

His Grace Bishop Arsani of the Netherlands and Belgium cast his vote in the referendum on constitutional amendments in the headquarters of the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Bishop accompanied a delegation of priests and the congregation of the diocese, and was received by the Ambassador of Egypt to the Netherlands, Amjad Abdul Ghaffar.

Father Angelos Wissa, priest of the Church of the Virgin and Angel Raphael in Paris, said that the Coptic congregation of Paris are extremely happy for the purchase of the Basilica of the Virgin and the Angel Raphael, the headquarters of the new diocese of more than 7 acres and 5 large buildings. He added that the Coptic Church is working hard to serve its people in the Diaspora and to link the youth to the home land.

Dr. Angel Shenouda, president of the General Union of Egyptians Abroad in France, said that the number of the Egyptian community in Paris and is roughly 350 thousand Egyptian. Therefore, an entity was established that links all Egyptians through coordination with the Egyptian Embassy in Paris, participation in all activities and work on the interrelationship between Muslims and Copts of Egypt. He added that the union organizes trips for the youth of the Diaspora to Egypt to support their patriotism and belonging to their home country.

The Egyptians in Canada celebrated the victory of the Egyptian Milad Mikail in the elections of the Conservative Party of Mississauga, Canada, to be the party s candidate in the federal elections to be held in October. Milad is the a third Egyptian winner who wins the elections in the same district after the victory of both Ghada Malak and Hani Tuflis.

Police in Suhag have shut down the church of the Nag Khafir village after attacking the priests of the church. The decision comes to deprive Copts of the village for the first time in years from performing the religious rites in their church days before the holy week celebrations.

Dr. Khaled Montasser, Egyptian thinker and writer, said we seek a secular and civil state in Egypt. Such state has to be claimed by the citizens. He added that trading on religion and keeping Article II of the constitution is a set back before the civil state. He added at the conference organized by the Dutch Coptic Organization in Amsterdam on Egypt and the right of citizenship that intellectuals and civil organizations have to illuminate the people concerning their rights under democratic and civil state.

Engineer Ezzat Boulos, editor-in-chief of Copts United, said that the Egyptian constitution stipulated that Egypt is a democratic country based on citizenship, and this citizenship developed since the era of Muhammad Ali on the abolition of the unified uniform imposed on the Copts and then abolished the Jiziah by the entry of Christians to the army until the revolution of 1919, and the revolution of 1952, till the revolution of June 30. He added at the conference held in Amsterdam under the auspices of the Coptic Dutch organization President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has supported the citizenship by visiting the Church on Christian feasts and built churches in new cities, but we need a civil state in order to apply the full citizenship.

The C-sat channel broadcast the conference of the Coptic Dutch Association in the Netherlands that discusses mechanisms to support citizenship and how to confront terrorism and extremism. The media and announcer George Rashad presented the conference, which was held yesterday in the presence of writer and author Wahid Hamid and Egyptian thinker Khaled Montaser and members of European Union of Coptic Organizations for Human Rights.

Conference of the Coptic Dutch Association has started this year by discussing the challenges of citizenship. Sameh Suryal, member of the Coptic Dutch Association, said that the rights of citizenship in Egypt needs to develop mechanisms based on equality in rights and duties. He also denounced the customary reconciliation sessions that violate the law and assure safe exit for the assailants in sectarian attacks.

Consul of Egypt in New York and a number of bishops of the Coptic Orthodox Church participated in the seventh anniversary of the departure of Pope Shenouda III, under the auspices of Bishop David of New York and the Association of Pope Shenouda Charity. Nabil Megalaa, head of the association, said that Pope Shenouda has always been an inspiration for all Egyptians and his heritage, books, sermons and acts will continue to teach the generations to come.