Meanwhile, acting patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church Bishop Pachomius on Saturday (April 14) delivers a speech on the occasion of the Coptic Easter and will focus in his address on a message of love and sacrifice for the redemption of mankind.

The Coptic Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod had issued a statement in which it said the church will be holding a Mass service on Saturday, adding there will be no celebrative aspects on Sunday morning.

The statement said that the church feels bereaved that the Easter comes while Pope Shenouda is absent this year, stressing the need to have children in the church on this occasion so that they may learn religious and spiritual values of this occasion. [‘Imād Khalīl, al-Misrī al-Yawm, April 14, p. 12] Read original text in Arabic