Sheikh Refat Thabit, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf in the Red Sea, said a mosque imam in El Gouna was arrested pending investigation for delivering speech without having a license and for issuing fatwa against congratulating the Copts on their feasts.

The Coptic Orthodox Church announced that personal status law for Christians will be completed next month. This came after Pope Tawadros has met with Majdi Ajati, Minister of State for Legal Affairs, to discuss the unified law of houses of worship as well as the personal status law for Christians.

Father Thomas Fekry, priest of the church, said that the church includes a shelter and old age home that serves about one hundred people. He added that the government should have issued the permits instead of closing the church.

Fatwa House said that Muslims can’t ask God’s forgiveness for non-Muslims since they should go to hell as infidels.

Al-Watan newspaper said that the diocese of southern United States has announced to organize a trip to visit the holy places in Jerusalem.

MTV Lebanon television reported about an incorrupt corpse of a priest that was buried 200 years ago in Bteghrine.

Personal status law for Christians up to a dead end, especially articles of the second marriage and divorce of the Copts.

Coptic businessman Naguib Sawiros said that subsidy will destroy the Egyptian economy as inflation is increasing.

St. Peter Catholic church in Tanta was officially inaugurated after it has been closed down for 30 years. Father Peter, priest of the church, said the church was repaired using donation money.

A state of anger and riots was caused at Mubarak Mosque in new Damietta city after the imam issued fatwa during his speech that prohibits congratulating Christians on their feasts.

Associated Press highlighted the visit of president al-Sisi on Christmas eve to the Cathedral to congratulate the Copts on Christmas.

13 Syriac Christians were killed in terrorist attack on New Year's Eve at residential neighborhoods inhabited by Syriacs and Assyrians in the Syrian city of Qamishli. The attack targeted several restaurants at New Year's Eve.

Major General Khaled Abdel Aal, Cairo security chief, said that police are taking extra security measures to secure churches and the Copts at Christmas celebrations.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. I congratulate you for the glorious birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Celebrating Christmas as celebrated by the whole world on December 25th is extended through the beginning of the calendar year and then celebrated by us according to the Eastern Coptic calendar on January 7th. Christmas is a renewal of our joy and happiness. In the story of Christmas, we see many events and figures but I would like to point out two events.

Sheikh Islam Nawawi, Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Religious Endowments, congratulated the Copts on Christmas.

After Esam Talima, member of the Muslim Brotherhood group and Office Director of Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, congratulated the Copts on Christmas feasts, the Salafists denounced such act considering it against Islam.

Dr. Andrea Zaki, head of the Anglican Communion, said that the personal status law for non-Muslims did not arrive until now to the Ministry of State for Parliamentary Affairs.

Extra security measures have been taken in all Egyptian governorates to secure New Year's celebrations. This comes as several terrorist organizations announced to carry out terrorist attacks against Coptic Churches.

Egyptian newspaper said that the Egyptian Parliament is going to assemble after the Christian feasts including Christmas and the New Year.

Coptic Catholic Diocese of Minya celebrated the 150th anniversary of the foundation of St. Henna monastery for nuns Minya.

The Salafist call continued to publish fatwas prohibiting congratulating Copts on their feasts including Christmas. Naser Radwan, member of the Salafist Call, said that Christmas is feast of cursing God, and therefore, Muslims can’t congratulate the infidels on such feast.