The Board of Directors of the New Urban Communities Authority headed by Egypt’s Prime Minister agreed to allocate three pieces of land in new cities to build three churches of the Orthodox, Evangelical and Catholic Churches. The new churches are located in Nasser City in Assiut and 10th of Ramadan city.

Damanhour Criminal Court decided today to postpone the hearing in Bishop Epiphanius murder to January 27. 3 witnesses of the monks said that the murder weapon was there before it was presented by investigation authorities as murder weapon, which supports the claims of the defendant Wael Saad.

Dr. Manal Awad, Governor of Damietta, witnessed the celebration of the Greek Orthodox Church in the presence of several senior officials of the governorate. She congratulated the Christians on the Western Christmas wishing the best of Egypt and the world in the New Year.

Pope Tawadros II participated at the annual celebration of the Holy Bible Day at the Great Cathedral of St. Mark where the team of Bible House attended his weekly sermon. Pope praised the efforts of the Holy Bible House in Egypt, pointing out that the Coptic Orthodox church is based on the Bible in all its prayers, liturgy and praise.

A policeman is currently being investigated for wishing a Coptic woman a terrorist attack on her church in order to gloat over their grief! Prosecution has ordered his arrest for 15 days and police have apologized for what he said. It is worth mentioning that the policeman was assigned to secure the church of the Saints in Alexandria where a terrorist attack had targeted the church in 2011 killing and wounding dozens of the worshippers.

The Minya Criminal Court decided today to postpone the case of the lady of the Karm village where an old Coptic lady was stripped nude and dragged in the streets over rumors about romantic relationship between her son and a Muslim woman. 25 defendants are accused in the case and are charged with burning houses of the Copts.

Minya s criminal court resumes tomorrow the case of stripping a Coptic lady off and dragging her in the streets by about 25 people. In May 2016, a rumor had circulated in the village that the Copt Ashraf Ayad was having an illicit affair with the Muslim woman Nagwa Ragab; both in their early thirties. Ayad quickly fled the village taking with him his wife and four daughters. A Muslim mob, however, attacked his aged parents in their home, injured his father Danial Ayad, dragged out his near-70-year-old mother Suad Thabet to the street, stripped her and beat her up. The mob also attacked other Copts houses, burning six plus a Coptic-owned warehouse.

His Grace Bishop Makarios of Minya and Abu Qirqas said during the memorial service of the two Copts killed by policeman in Minya that it is very unfortunate and sad accident that carries dangerous indications. He called for urgent and fair trial for the policeman who killed unarmed Copts.

Families of the martyrs of St. Samuel monastery attack celebrated the 40 days anniversary of the murder of their families at the terrorist attack that targeted pilgrims near the monastery. The holy mass was celebrated at the same place of the attack under extra security measures. They demanded the paving of the road to help security forces do its job and prvent further attacks.

Abba Makarious, Bishop of Minya, led prayers of the Coptic congregation in Minya diocese for peace in Egypt and the whole world. The prayers were attended by family of the two Copts who were killed by a policeman in front of a church in Minya. The worshipers demanded justice and called for urgent trial for the policeman who killed a father and his son.

Funeral of two Copts were held today at the chuch of ST. Bishoy and St. Paula in Minya, after they were killed by a police man assigned to secure the Evangelical church. The two victims (a father and his son) had a fight with the policeman a day earlier, and he killed them yesterday. Police were reported and the matter is currently under investigation.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, delegated Bishop Raphael, former secretary of the Holy Synod, to visit Melbourne and to take care of its congregation after the resignation of its Bishop. He will celebrate a number of holy masses and meet with the people in several churches to discuss their problems and report them to the Pope.

The family of Girgis Baromi was disappointed after General security refused to release the man. Girgis haa spent more than 7 years in prison after being convicted in raping a girl though he according to the medical report has a complete sexual impotence, and another medical report confirmed before the court that the girl was not assaulted. The court sentenced Girgis to 15 years in prison and prevented his lawyer from attending the hearing of the assaulted girl!!!

The monks of the Monastery of Abba Samuel in Minya held a protest today in front of the monastery against the security policies in preventing the entry of critical material for the monastery. Cars carrying wheat were prevented by police from entering the monastery as well as families of the monks.

St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church in Long Island, New York, USA, organized an Egyptian day entitled “Be Egyptian” in order to support the home land. The annual festival aims to link the Egyptians abroad to the homeland and offered this year Egyptian products, handicrafts, games and food.

Minya Bishopric to celebrate 40-days Anniversary of Martyrs of St. Samuel Monastery on December 8, 2018. 7 people were killed and 18 were wounded in terrorist attack on buses of Christian pilgrims.

After her disappearance for couple of days ago, Melissa Samy, returned home to her family. The 27 year old girl has been working in a pharmacy before she had disappeared in mysterious circumstances.

Father Matta Rizk, deputy of Manfalut diocese in Assiut, said the young man Mina Mohsen Rifaat was found dead on Wednesday after he was lost in the floods. The young man was drowned and his body was found three days after his death in the Nile River. He added that the flood water is being removed from the monastery that suffered unprecedented destruction because of the floods.

The monastery of Prince Tadros in Beni Shokier, Assiut, has suffered from destruction after the sweeping floods that destroyed the walls and drowned sheep farms and livestock and workshops. One man was lost in the floods called Mina Refaat and rescue teams are searching for him. The monastery is considered the oldest in the area and was established in the fourth century, but this is the first time it faces such destructive floods.

Pope Tawadros II said that the inauguration of the Cathedral of St. Mark in Abbasiyah will be held next Sunday. He added in his weekly sermon that the prayers will not include celebrations because of the recent terrorist attacks, and will be limited to the rituals.

Sources at Abu Makar monastery told Copts United that several people have jumped over the walls of the monastery trying to enter the monastery. just like a man did this 10 days before Bishop of the monastery was killed couple of months ago. 3 people entered the monastery yesterday by jumping over the walls, but they were allowed to leave after they apologized and assure they only wanted to take photos! Sources added that the land next to the monastery belongs to the Ministry of Antiquities and includes some Coptic antiquities, but some people are trying to use it, and the monastery has asked for permission to build a wall to protect it, but has not received any response yet.