Qena / Egypt

Muhammad al-Bāz presents summarized memoirs of some Coptic figures who engaged in struggles for the welfare of their country.

A recent international conference on Christianity and outsets of monasticism is held in the Archangel Michael Monastery in Qena’s Niqādah desert.

‘Abd al-Hakīm al-Qādī accuses a Coptic activist from the southern city of Qena of contacting dubious foreign bodies and making reports that harm national unity.

Clergymen and governors of the different Egyptian governorates discuss inter-religious cordial relations.

An anonymous author alleged that there is a state of conflict between the church represented in the bishop of Naj‘ Ḥammādī and the governor of Qinā, the Upper Egyptian governorate. The following day al-Wafd published a response from the bishop in which he denied any conflict and describes the cordial relationship between the church and the governor.

Middle East Christians Association issued statistics on the number of churches and mosques in Egypt.

Pope Shenouda inaugurated al-Malāk Church and held a press conference in Luxor.

The author reports on complains of Christian inhabitants of the Qena governorate about the city’s Coptic Governor Gen. Majdī Ayyūb, whom they criticize for not issuing any licenses for the renovation of churches over the past two years. They think the obstacle is that he fears being accused of being biased toward Copts.

‘Amr Bayyūmī reports on the statements of Archpriest Bīshūy
Nārūz, deputy-secretary of the Bishopric of Qinā, who affirmed that
the bishopric decided to cancel its annual Iftār celebration in protest
to the governorate’s frequent disregard of the church’s demands to build or
restore houses of worship.

Security bodies, Muslim and Christian men of religion, and members of parliament have succeeded in containing a sectarian crisis in Niqādah in Qinā governorate.