The authorities in Minya Governorate released two workers of St. Samuel Monastery after being arrested for 4 days for helping the monks to hold sit-in. The defendants helped building a tent at the entrance of the monastery to reject practices of security forces that prevent food and visitors from entering the monastery.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, received Bishop Bachom, candidate for Egypt s Catholic Patriarchal deputy office. Father Hany Bachom, spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt was nominated to be ordained bishop and the ordination ceremony will be held at the end of this month.

Monks of St. Samuel monastery held sit in on the road leading to the monastery in protest against the ban of the entry of food vehicles of the monastery carrying animal feed. One of the monks said that the security forces banned the entry of the car from 7 pm Sunday to midnight of Monday, which was considered unjustified intransigence in preventing the needs of Monastery.

The Virgin Mary Church in Helwan denied rumors about spiritual appearances, which was spread on the social media. The church assured that a picture was displayed by the projector and called on everyone to investigate the accuracy of news shared on social media.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II held a meeting with the ministers of St. Paul s Evangelization Service in Africa and Asia. The meeting was attended by the General Coordinator of the ministry Father Fr. Daoud Lamei, who talked about the extension of the ministry in 30 countries and the increase of its services including medical, educational and social services.

Archbishop Pachomius of Behira and fromer acting Patriarch inaugurated the Church of the Virgin Mary in Mahmoudia after the completion of its renovation. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Bishop Salib of Mit Ghamr, Bishop Isaac, the General Bishop, and Bishop Elarion, the General Bishop of the Churches of Western Alexandria. A number of alters, icons and holy vessels were inaugurated as well as the old baptism in the church.

Egypt s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has tasked Arab Contractors Company with immediately starting repairs on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) building, which was damaged in recent explosion. Madbouly called on the Arab Contractors company to make speedy repairs given that the institute provides important services for many patients. The Egyptian president expressed his condolences to the Egyptian people and the families of the victims promising to pull out terrorism by the roots.. A vehicle laden with explosives collided with three other cars near the National Cancer Institute in Manyal, killing 20 people and injuring 47.

The Egyptian Armed Forces started paving the road of St. Samuel monastery starting with 10 kilometers. A monk of the monastery said that the total distance of the road is 25 kilometers and should be done next December.

The Criminal Court of Minya postponed three cases related to the Copts for the next October, including the case of the killing of Iskandar Tous and the burning and looting of houses of the Copts of the village of Dalja in Minya, which dates back to 2013 after the dispersal of Rabaa Adawia sit-in as well as the stripping of Soad Thabet in Karm village as well as the attacks on Coptic houses of the village after rumors about romantic relationship between her son and a Muslim woman. Dr. Ihab Ramzi, head of the defense team in the three cases, said that the cases have been postponed for several years for no good reason.

A limited fire erupted at the Church of St. Paula in Shubra al-Khaimah, but no serious damage or injuries were caused by the fire. Father Paula Ayyad, priest of st. Paul Church in Om Bayoumi Church in Shubra al-Khaimah, said that the firefighters succeeded in controlling the fire before it spreads in the building.

The Criminal Court of Minya is going to resume trial of Muslims accused in 3 cases of burning and looting Coptic properties, stripping old woman nude and beating her, and the murder of a Copts man called Iskandar Tous. The case was postponed to hear the witnesses of police officers in the cases and it was postponed to July 29. 45 people are accused in the cases, but only 13 were arrested, while the others are still fugitives.

For the second time, fanatics set small barns of Copts on fire after they demanded the reopening of a church in Kom Raheb, Samalout, Minya. 3 small barns were burned, and the matter is currently under investigation by police.

Ezzat Ibrahim, a human rights activist in Minya, said that the disappeared Coptic girl Ferial Milad Fanous, 15 years old, returned to her home after three days of disappearance. He added that the church received the girl and thanked the police for their efforts that succeeded in bringing the girl back.

Coptic MP Nadia Henry said that the path of the Holy Family will be added on the tourist map of the Vatican next October according to the agreement between the Egyptian and the Vatican. She explained that a number of MPs held a meeting with senior officials from the Tourism Ministry who showed great support for the project and promised to do their best to make it succeed.

The Church of the Virgin and St. Abraam in Brighton, England, concluded its conference of the Ministers of Education held for 3 days at a ‫Christian ‬ English resort near Birghton. The conference was attended by a number of specialists including Dr. Michael Hjälm, dean of the Faculty of theology in Stockholm and Bishop Paula of Tanta.

Canadian Prime Minister Doug Ford participated in the second annual Egyptian Coptic Festival in Mississauga, Toronto. Thousands have participated in the festival that was attended by a number of Canadian senior officials and Coptic leaders including Bishop of Canada and Sherif Sabawy, member of the Canadian Parliament from Egyptian origins.

Father Misael of St. Paul monastery talked for the first time after fire erupted and destroyed the church of St. Paul in Cairo. He explained that the cause of the fire is short circuit and the air conditioning and furniture helped spread the fire. More than 20 fire engines controlled the fire in 5 hours.

Fire broke out at the church of St. Paul in Haayek al-Qubba and destroyed the upper floor of the building which houses a service building and the kitchen. Police is investigating the reasons of the fire that luckily didn’t cause any deaths.

The Australian actor and director Mel Gibson started shooting the sequel of Passion of Christ movie. He added that this part of the movie will concentrate on the spiritual part of resurrection and the following 40 days till the ascension into heavens. He said it will be released in cinemas in 2020.

Copts of Mitt Nama city in Shubra al-Khaimah expressed their anger at the continued closure of the Church of Mitt Nama though it had obtained all due permits since 2001. Police had shut down the service building in which the congregation held thier prayers last Easter promising to allow them to start building the licensed building, but such promises were not fulfilled claiming they fear reaction of the extremists in the area.

The Church of St. Bishoy in Ismailia held the Annual Commemorative Service to Father Raphael Moussa , priest of St. George Church in El Arish who was martyred by a terrorist organization in Sinai on June 30, 2016, on his way home after the end of the Holy Mass. The martyr father Raphael Moussa has been ordained a priest with his brother in the service Martyr Father Mina Abboud, who was martyred as well by the terrorist group in El-Arish on July 6, 2013. The terrorist organization of Beit Al-Maqdis in Sinai claimed responsibility of the attack.