French President Emmanuel Macaron visited the Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo, where he was received by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. After meeting at the papal headquarters, he visited the memorial plaque of the martyrs at St. Peter Church that was bombed two of years ago.

Bishop Pefnotius of Samalut, opened today a new service building in the Church of St. Peter in Samalut. The building has a banquet hall that can take up to 300 people and a meeting room and a lecture hall.

Archbishop Bakhomius of Behaira and former acting Patriarch laid the foundation stone of the new Church of New Alamin. The Church that received a presidential decree will be named after St. Mary and St. Tadros.

His Holiness Bishop Michael, Bishop General of the Churches of Gardens El Kubba, Archangel Michael in the monastery of the angel of the sea, Hadayek al-Qubba, during which the ritual of the ordination of the 69 sons of the Church itself completed deacons, 53 of them in the Order of Ibsalts, 4 in the rank of Augustus and 12 in the rank of Ibodikon.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, congratulated the Patriarchal staff in Alexandria on the Day of the Epiphany and gave them presents on that occasion. The meeting was attended by Bishop Pavly, Ilarioun and Hermina, members of the Holy Synod.

The Coptic Orthodox Church warned in a statement of a person who claims to be a monk at the monastery of St. Moussa in Alamin and collects donations for the monastery. Statement said that none of its monks is allowed to collect money and none of them is ministering out of the monastery.

Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church mourned today the departure of monk Maximus of St. Paula monastery who died at the age of 67. He was monk for 43 years since he was ordained monk on December 28, 1975.

A group of terrorists in Arish kidnapped a Coptic man after they stopped a bus and searched for Copts and policemen. They searched their national identification cards and kidnapped the man who was Coptic Christian though they didnt know him. Police were reported and the matter is currently under investigation.

Pope Tawadros II received today Dr. Sultan Al-Rumaithi, Secretary-General of the Council of Muslim Elders and Omar Al-Buraiki, Executive Director of the Council at the papal headquarter in Cairo. The meeting was attended by HE Bishop Julius, bishop of old Cairo Churches and Secretary of His Holiness.

Pope Tawadros II received today leaders of the Step Forward instruction that works in the field of lecturing Christen leadership. The meeting was attended by Bishop Youlious of Old Cairo Churches and a number of ministers in the field of Christians leadership.

Bishop Kirilous of Nag Hamadi ordained a new priest at the church of St. shenouda in Khawalid village in Nag Hamadi. The new priest Father Yacoub Matta headed to the monastery of St. Mary al-Moharaq to spend 40 days of spiritual retreat according to the Coptic ritual.

His Holiness Pope Twadros II received at the Papal Headquarters at the Cathedral of St. Mark in Abbasiya today, Mubarak Al-Junaibi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Egypt. The visit of the Ambassador of the UAE to His Holiness came to congratulate him on Christmas.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received this morning a high-level delegation from Al-Azhar headed by Grand Shiekh of Al-Azhar to congratulate him and the Coptic people on Christmas. Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar said that such congratulation is mandatory in Islam since they come to offer love and practice tolerance of Islam.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received this morning a high-level delegation from Al-Azhar headed by Grand Shiekh of Al-Azhar to congratulate him and the Coptic people on Christmas. Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar said that such congratulation is mandatory in Islam since they come to offer love and practice tolerance of Islam.

Pope Tawadros II perfumed the remains of St. Yehnes Kamma in the Syrian monastery of Wadil Natroun with the participation of Bishop Mataws of the monastery and the monks. St. Yehnes lived in the 9th century in Wadil Natroun.

Sheikh Yassir Borhamy, Vice President of the Salafist Call, prohibited celebrating Christmas and described sharing feasts of the infidels is the worse sin to commit. He also said that imitating infidels in their celebrations is sharing their infidelity.

Spokesman of the Coptic Church Orthodox announced the death of Father Markos Abdul Massieh, the priest of the Church of St. George in Qena at the age of 92 after spending 57 years in priesthood ministry. He was born on February 7, 1927, and was ordained a priest on April 22, 1962 by the late Bishop Cyril of Qena.

Egypt’s Prime Minister headed a meeting today of the Supreme Committee to regulate churches in which he agreed to regulate 80 churches. This raises the total number of regulated churches and service buildings to 627.

Bishop Besenty of Helwan and Maasara laid the foundation stone of Hilawan Martyrs church at the first anniversary of their martyrdom. The new Church is located at Helwan Gardens neighborhood and the celebration was attended by Bishop Zocima.

Tima diocese organized a carnival attended by nearly 1000 Coptic children at St. Yassa monastery eastern of Tima. The carnival was entitled "I am Coptic means I am Egyptian", and was attended by His Grace Bishop Isaac of Tima.

Pope Tawadros II inaugurated the main Church of St. Poktor Monastery in Khatatba in the Monufia Governorate in Lower Egypt, 43 kilometers north of Cairo. Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church said that three alters were inaugurated in the presence of bishops and clergy.