Abba Barnabas, Bishop of Turin and Rome, headed a delegation from the Coptic Orthodox Church to congratulate Pope Francis on Easter. The delegation visited the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle in the Vatican, where he attended part of the mass of the feast.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Petrarch of St. Mark See, visited the great Cathedral of St. Mark to check on the restoration work at it. Workers and engineers received the Pope and assured they are working hard to finish the work before Easter festivals next Saturday. This year, the Church celebrates 50 years anniversary of the opening of the cathedral by Pope Cyril VI, the 116th Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox church.

Abba Bakhoumios, Bishop of Behira and former acting Patriarch, inaugurated the church of St. Mary and St. Philopatir, in Borg Arab with Abba Bavly, the garner bishop.

The Ministry of Antiquities, in cooperation with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Egypt three pieces of antiques, which had been smuggled out of the country to America. The pieces are fragments of a mummy made up of two human heads and hands that had been stolen from the Valley of the Kings in Luxor and smuggled out of the country in 1927.

Monks of al- Shayeb Monastery casted their votes today at the presidential elections. The monastery sent a delegation of its monks headed by bishop Silwanis, bishop of the monastery to participate in the elections.

Abba Pachomious, former acting patriarch, casted his vote today at the presidential elections in Egypt despite his bad health conditions. Moreover, bishops of the Coptic Orthodox Church rushed today to cast their votes in the elections and perform this national duty after Pope Tawadros casted his vote yesterday in Cairo.

Fatwa House denounced the use of religion and trading on it by the terrorist group of the Muslim Brotherhood during the presidential elections. Dr. Youssef Qaradawy, prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood had prohibited casting votes in the elections after it was a religious duty under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Pope Tawadros casted his vote in the presidential elections and called all Egyptians to participate in the elections as well. Pope said that Egypt deserves to receive such appreciation from its citizens.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Petrarch of St. Mark See, honored the families of the martyrs of St. Mark church terrorist attack who were killed last year at Palm Sunday. Some gifts were presented for them at the weekly meeting at St. Mary church in Semoha, Alexandria.

Coptic Orthodox Church announced the death of Bishop Antonius of Manfallout. Abba Antonius was born on May 31, 1951 in Qena province, and was named Zakaria Ezzat. He received a bachelor s degree in dentistry in 1977 from Cairo University and went to the Syrian Monastery of the Virgin Mary on December 8, 1980. He was ordained bishop on the feast of Pentecost on June 22, 1986. The funeral was held at 12 O clock at St. Tadrus monastery.

Egyptian army announced the elimination of a very dangerous terrorist cell in North Sinai. 30 terrorist elements and arrested 345 extremely dangerous terrorists with huge amount of weapons in their possession.

Pope Shenouda s Children s association celebrated his 6th departure anniversary in New Jersey which was attended by Bishops Potros, David and Angelos. The celebration was attended by several Egyptian diplomats and public figures.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of ST. Mark See, said that the acceptance of differences and other people is the core of coexistence. This came in an interview with a Saudi Newspaper during which Pope said that the Saudi Arabia is witnessing outstanding development.

Family of the late bishop Boqtor of Wahat, attended his funeral at St. Peter church in Cairo. Nun Demiana and Father Isaac Fakhry, sister and brother of the late bishop, attended the funeral, where Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, headed the prayers.

Thousands of people visited the Cathedral of St. Fam in Tima to bid farewell to Abba Fam, Bishop of Tima, who was buried in a special shrine in the headquarter of the diocese. The final memorial service was held for the late bishop at the Cathedral where the Holy Mass was celebrated by Abba Kirilous, Bishop of Nag Hamadi and the clergy.

The body of the late Abba Fam, Bishop of Tima, attended the holy mass at the church of Archangel Michael in Sheraton, where the congregation was able to bid him farewell. The body will be moved today to the church of St. Peter in Cairo where Pope Tawadros will pray on it before it will be moved to Tima for burial. He was ordained monk at St. Bishoy monastery in Wadil Natrun in 1977 and was enthroned Bishop of Tima in 1980.

Governor of Sohag gave Copts of Tima a day off next Thursday to bid farewell to bishop Fam. Officials of the governorate will attend the funeral in Cairo and Sohag after the body of the late bishop will arrive from London.

Abba Takla, bishop of Dishna, promoted Father Barsoum Sobhi, priest of St. Shenouda in Azab village, to the rank o Hegumin. This came during the Holy Mass of the third week of the Great Lent.

Coptic Church issued a statement to announce arrangements for the funeral of Abba Fam, Bishop of Tima. The body will arrive from London to Cairo on March 6th and the funeral will be held on March 7th and 8th at St. Peter church in Cairo and St. Fam Cathedral in Tima.

His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, decided to reopen the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City, on Wednesday after a three-day closure to protest against Israeli tax measures and a proposed law.

Abba Bemen, bishop of Naqada and Qus, ordained 3 new monks at the monastery of Archangel Michael in Naqada.