One year ago, the Law for the Building and Restoration of Churches went into effect and stipulated that non-licensed churches would be legalized provided they submit the required documents to a dedicated committee. Each single case had to complete its application. This means that all 3730 applications submitted to the committee had to fully meet the requirements otherwise they would have not been accepted and listed by the committee. Therefore, I was thinking that the committee will finish its work on a good rate, but the truth is I was disappointed by the slow rate. In 11 full months, the committee issued approvals to legalize 220 out of the 3730 churches and service buildings, which means that 3510 applications are still waiting in line.

There were several attacks this week by people claiming to be real Muslims against the Church of the Virgin and St. Karas in Ezbet Sultan, Minya, and another attack to prevent the use of a church to the house of service next door. This crisis began after the Church attempt to install cameras and doors of the church as per the security instructions, which raised fear of some fanatics that they will appear in media if they want to practice their right to attack the church at any time they want! Police arrested three assailants and other names were reported by the Copts hoping that police will prevent further attacks after the church was attacked thrice in one month!

In this life you meet a lot of people and each one is different from one another. When you think about what is the best way to deal with different people some of us try to remember his religious principles and some other try to remember his education. In all cases, you will meet for sure rude people in the road and the problem in rude people that they don t have any principles to remember how to deal with other different people.

Once again, the Egyptians celebrated two feasts at the same day. One feast for the Muslims and the other for the Christians. Adha feast coincided this year with the feast of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Copts and Muslims in Egypt may have several differences in belief, but every now and then feasts come together to assure the unity of the people. Not only the feasts unite the Egyptians, but also problems and even calamites that they suffer from without differentiation based on religion. I wish all Egyptians realize that religion is a relationship with God, while the homeland is a relationship with other Egyptians.

Teaching in the Church is the basis of our salvation. Through teaching, man realizes the basis of true faith and the relation with God. Thus, Jesus Christ, being the good teacher, put curricula for teaching his disciples. In the article Christ the Teacher , Abba Pachomius, former acting Patriarch, assured us that education in our church is necessary to know the foundations of the true Christian faith. Therefore, our teacher Paul recommends his pupil Timothy to Observe himself and teaching , and the Lord Jesus has put us a Proper education after he started his ministry by preaching on the mountain as his first work among the multitudes.

I worked for a company in the Delta of Egypt where the project manager decided to celebrate the feast by buying a sacrifice and slinging it to eat its meat. I watched how they used all kind of violence to kill the cow. They started to jump and tie it and twisted its neck before they start citing their prayers and slay it. Being shocked, I discussed what has just happened with a Muslim colleague who didn t like such violence. I told him that God wants mercy rather than a sacrifice. Your prayers doesn t make the killing process more humane or even Halal.

The encouragement has always been the reason for success and excellence, just like love is the loftiest humanitarian emotions. Therefore, we find that the family house in Alexandria working hard to cultivate the seeds of love in the youth to the love of their society.

The Egyptian citizen is considered the most citizen get false information from the government. The ministers say something in the evening, and Egyptian citizen found the complete opposite in the next morning. One clear example for lacking this transparency is when the supply minister announced there is no change in bread portion for each family and next morning Egyptian found that they have half of they got before.

As the Coptic Church was working on a heavy spiritual schedule during the fast of the St. Mary, it received news that made their hearts heavy as well. News about a murderer monk was assured and fears of the Coptic congregation that murderer of the bishop will be found among the monks of St. Makar monastery became a reality. The crime came at a very critical time, which is one of the most reverend fasts in the Coptic Church; the fast of St. Mary. At the same time, a dispute comes about a group called protectors of the faith led by Abba Aghathon, Bishop of Maghagha, that don t like decisions of the Pope especially related to unity between Catholic and Orthodox churches. I think Pope Tawadros II is getting one of his hardest times and we should pray that God may support him in that time to be given heavenly wisdom and grace.

If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. This is how Jesus Christ told His disciples to do and to refrain from pride. Bishop Takla, in his article The Last of All assured us that humility is one of the important virtues of our lives and our omnipresence. Such humility was said by Abba Moussa the Black to be the best of all virtues just like pride is the worst evil.

Marina Makram Abdul Malik is a 15-year-old female carpenter who has mastered her profession that she inherited from her father who used to encourage her. Despite her excellence in her school, she decided to follow the bath of her father and to enter a technical school to pursue her career hoping she will be able to study fine art. Marina didn t listen to the jokes of her colleagues who were surprised to see her working at the carpentry profession and even designing furniture. She was able to make great pieces of furniture supported by her family. She is indeed a bold girl and a creative artist that we should be proud of.

After the clash between Saudi Arabia and Canada about the human right situation in Saudi Arabia, no one of the human rights advocates in Egypt was able to raise his voice against violation of human rights in Saudi Arabia. There is no doubt that human rights now a days became a business more than a principle. With one party system or with tyrant regime you can t practice or talk about human rights.

Copts sadly received the news about the killing of Bishop Epiphanius, head of St. Makar monastery. It was even harder for them to know that he was killed in front of his cell in his monastery. People were terrified that investigations may lead that a monk is the murderer. Houses of worship are indeed holy places that should be full of love and peace, but the fact is that they are like hospitals that are full of patinas and even the doctors can get sick.

The mysterious death for the chief of Abo Makar Monastery “Bishop Epiphanius” is lead a lot of us ask many question to God not only that but also may be doubt him at this moment. While a lot of doubts come to my mind and to my heart about why did god allow that to happen? Especially to a person devoted all his life to serve and worship God.

The family is the main influencer in the personality as it is responsible for spiritual, mental and emotional education of the young people. HG Bishop Moussa, Bishop of Youth, talked in his article Family and the formation of personality about the impact of the family in its members in several aspects. First: the family, especially the mother, has great impact on her children who learn the meaning of prayers and saints by the parents unlike those who teach the children about cursing, anger and oblivion.

The Mastoura Loan project provides microfinancing to Egyptian women and also provides them with more opportunities for economic empowerment, as well as a greater capacity to create income sources to raise their families standard of living, and to enable them to contribute more effectively to society. Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Waly announced that Nasser Bank has financed more than 70 projects for women in Halaib and Shalatin with a value of one and a half million pounds after the procedures were simplified and women were able to get the loan with their national identification cards. Greetings to the Minister and to her project and to the Social Nasser Bank for further progress, projects and support for the Egyptian people.

Abba Epiphanius, Bishop of St. Makar monastery, was killed inside his monastery in his way to pray the morning praises. He received a treacherous hit that killed him and broke his skull. The body was taken to Damanhour General Hospital to investigate the cause of the death. Indeed, the man who doesn t deserve to die was killed by those who don t deserve to live. I wonder who could kill such a good old man!

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2Timothy 3:12) The martyrdom of Bishop Epiphanious inside his monastery in the midst of the monks. What s concerning me about the story is that he was going out from his cell and going to the midnight praises. The monks were surprised because he was late and that was not the usual. When they got worried, the went to make sure everything was ok and they found him outside his cell going to the midnight praises but he was martyred before getting there.