Though it has obtained all due permits and there are several violations in the same street, Ali Morsi, President of the Central District of Alexandria, stormed into the church of St. Mary in Moharam Bai to prevent construction work at the church. It’s worth mentioning that stopping the work is the job of a committee from the central district, but this time the president of the central district decided to cut off his holiday to prevent the work at the church.

Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper published a report on Christians in the Syrian Golan Heights, which has been occupied by Israel for nearly 50 years. Only few Christian remained at the area due to civil and sectarian wars and the poor economic conditions. According to an investigation published by the French agency, the proportion of Christians in the Golan is 12 percent of the population, which amounted in June 1967 to 150 thousands, while the number is currently 22 thousand living along with 25,000 Israeli settlers who arrived after the 1967 war.

Joseph Malak, Coptic lawyer, demanded the return of advice and guidance sessions assuring that they provide stability of the society and avoid sectarian crises that may arise from changing ones’ religion from Christianity to Islam.

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi called on Friday for a miniature meeting with high-ranking security officials following the militant attack that targeted a bus that carries Coptic citizens in Minya governorate, Egyptian Cabinet official spokesperson Ashraf Soltan said. According to the state-run news agency MENA, the incident took place on Friday morning when ten anonymous militants targeted a bus carrying Coptic worshippers who were going to a monastery located in Al-Qalmon area in Minya desert.

The number of Christians killed in an armed attack on buses carrying pilgrims in Upper Egypt’s Minya governorate has risen to 28, with 23 injured, the governor announced on Friday afternoon. In a phone call interview with local satellite channel ONTV live on Friday afternoon, Minya's governor, Essam El-Bedewy, announced the new death toll, adding that seven of the victims were from El-Minya while the other 21 were from Beni Suef governroate. Shortly after, Egypt's health ministry confirmed that the death toll had risen to 28.

Copts in Vancouver, Canada celebrated the first holy mass at the new church of St. Mary in Vancouver. The prayers were attended by Abba Mina, Bishop of Mississauga, Vancouver and western Canada, and Father Antonious Fekry, priest of the church.

The Rev. Awad Flimoun, Priest of the Evangelical Church of the Faith in Alexandria, said that he has been trying for 7 years to obtain permission to rebuild the church after it was demolished.

Coptic Church in Alexandria celebrated the feast of martyrdom of St. Mark the Evangelist yesterday. The celebration was attended by Abba Ilarion, Bishop of Western Alexandria who perfumed the remains of the great saint.

Students of the Faculty of Science in Alexandria complained that professor Saber Gowaily, professor of Arabic language, insults Christian faith in his books that Christians have to study. He described conversion from Islam to Christianity as horrible act and added the phrase “God forbid” to explaining what conversion from Islam to Christianity is.

Karim Ghattas, 8th martyrs of Alexandria church attack died today of his severe wounds while his wife Mary is still being treated in hospital.

Two students of Al-Azhar were arrested in St. George Church in Azzia village, Assiut, after they tried to enter the church during the celebrations.

For three days, a short course on Coptic studies will be given at Alexandria Library entitled an introduction to Coptology in which topics like: Coptic History, Coptic Architecture, Coptic Sources, Coptic Arts, and Coptic Music are discussed.

Naguib Gabriel , head of the Egyptian Union of human rights Organization, filed a complaint to the Attorney General against Sheikh Walid Ismail who claimed in TV program that the bible is misrepresent and was changed and also claimed that all Al-Azhar scholars agree to that claim.

The Library of Alexandria celebrates the day of the Coptic heritage on Thursday at Beit Senary in Cairo. The main topic of this year is the women in Coptic Heritage throughout history including saints, political activists and Coptic art. The celebration is attended by a number of public figures and clergy.

Two people were arrested on charges of setting a factory of plastic owned by a Coptic owner on fire. The surveillance cameras showed the perpetrators committing their crime and were arrested pending investigation.

Ayman Fayez's mission recently led him 6,000 miles from his home in Egypt to a gallery in Manhattan's East Village. Though not a missionary in the traditional sense, the Coptic Catholic iconographer was there "transmitting God's messages ... through art," and serving as an important reminder of Egypt's diverse cultural and religious heritage.

The building was little more than a ruin when the Coptic Church in Germany bought it back in the early 1990s for the token sum of one Deutschmark. Since then, it has undergone a major revamp. The Copts share the monastery complex in Brenkhausen with a Catholic congregation. The Coptic bishop and the Catholic priest hold joint services, drink coffee and even play football together. They’re like family, they say. Some 6,000 to 10,000 Coptic Christians currently live in Germany. In eastern Berlin, the Copt community is growing steadily.

Cultural Franciscan Center held its second conference on monasticism in the Middle East at the church of St. Joseph in Cairo from January 12-14th.

Dr. Ayman Abdel Moneim, governor of Sohag, received a donation from people of Dar El-Salam neighborhood for the new mosque and church at the new capital.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God Amen. May His grace and blessings be bestowed upon us, from now and forever, Amen. May you remain healthy this year of 2017 and every year, and during the Glorious feast of the Nativity on January 7th, according to the eastern calendar, which is Kiahk 29th, according to the Coptic calendar. In fact, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we continue to remember our sons and daughters the martyrs who recently offered their lives in the events of St. Peter's Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ has granted them to celebrate this feast and this year with Him in heaven.We remember them with all goodness. We pray for our wounded and injured ones that Christ may complete their healing and restore their health so that they may join us soon.

Abba Bavly, general Bishop in Alexandria, said during the funeral of Youssef Lamie, Coptic merchant who was killed in Alexandria, that he was killed for being Christian. He added that we forgive the person who committed the crime, but this doesn’t mean that he will not be punished for his crime as the state and law should avenge his blood.