Today, Apr. 16, Pope Tawadros held a solace for the victims of the violence at al-Khusūs and Saint Mark's Cathedral. Present were public officials, foreign diplomats and ambassadors and delegations of other churches.

The Pope suddenly returned the evening before from his retreat at Saint Bishoy Monastery following the clashes in the vicinity of Saint Mark's Cathedral, which extends into the Cathedral where the Pope has his personal office. The Pope refused to enter the cathedral before visiting the injured in the hospitals. Yesterday, Apr. 15, far away from the media, the Pope met the families of the victims.

The Pope has also re-scheduled his weekly sermon at the Saint Roweiss Cathedral after cancelling it last week. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Apr. 17, he will begin his first visit to all the churches in Sohag governorate. During this trip, the Pope will open a new Cathedral at Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite Monestary (The Coptic White Monastery).

(Author's Note: The Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located near the Upper Egyptian city of Sohag, and about four kilometers south east of the Red Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its outside walls. The White Monastery is architecturally similar to the Red Monastery).

In another development, the Maspero Youth Union has demanded that the Council of Ministries issue an official statement that all government departments give Copts an official holiday on Palm Sunday and Maundy (Holy) Thursday (Mustafá Rahūmah, al-Watan, Apr. 16, p. 6). Read original text in Arabic.