A family of a Coptic priest were attacked by thugs for refusing to pay tribute to them. 5 people were injured and police were reported. The matter is currently under investigation.

St. Mary Church in Battakh village, in Sohag celebrated Father Estiphanus Rashad, the new priest of the church. the congregation were so happy to receive the priest who was a pharmacist before he was ordained a priest 40 days ago.

Mohamed Sultan, governor of Alexandria, visited Amal Awad, the Coptic woman who was stabbed in front of a church by unknown man, at hospital. The Coptic woman was attacked as she was heading out of St. Mary Church in Gawahir, Alexandria. The attacker used a sharp tool to attack the woman in front of the main gate of the Church and escaped, and the matter is currently under investigation.

A Coptic housewife in Tahta, Suhag, filed a lawsuit against the clerical council of Suhag as it refused to complete her divorce application. Police is currently investigating the matter.

Coptic Orthodox Church mourned today the departure of Father Isaac Rateb, priest of St. Philopatir, Koshh village, Suhag. His funeral was headed by Bishop of Baliana and attended by senior officials of Suhag governorate.

Abba Daniel, Head of the Monastery of St. Shenouda in New South Wales, received Abba Peter, Bishop of North and South Carolina, and Kentucky of America, in Australia. Bishop Daniel gave a sermon to the congregation of Sydney at the monastery and said that his visit comes at the 29th of the Coptic month which is the commemoration of Annunciation, Christmas and Resurrection.

Abba Soriel, Bishop of Melbourne, announced that the first book about Archdeacons Habib Girgis was published in the Bishopric of Melbourne. The book was written by Abba Soriel about the Coptic saint who lived in the 21st century.

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.