The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of The Netherlands celebrated on Saturday 23 December the reopening of the church of the Holy Virgin and St Athanasius in the town of Assen in the north east.
The original old church building had been demolished and a new one built in its place.
The celebration started with Holy Mass. Anba Arsani, the Coptic Orthodox Bishop of The Netherlands, presided over Mass, and the diocese clergy joined him, together with Fr Yu’iel who came from al-Baramous monastery in Egypt. Following Mass, Egypt’s Ambassador to The Netherlands, Amgad Abdel-Ghaffar, visited the church to offer his good wishes, and stayed on to attend a performance by the church choir.
Pope Tawadros II had visited the old church in May 2015, and blessed the project.
Watani International
26 December 2017