Yesterday, Easter Day, Pope Tawadros headed to the mid-Delta town of Tanta to visit the injured and the families of those who lost their lives in the suicide bombing at the Tanta church of Mar-Girgis (St George). The Pope met them all at Tanta bishopric headquarters; attending was Tanta Bishop Anba Pola. Pope Tawadros had announced he had cancelled his usual reception on Easter Day and said he would the injured and the bereaved.
The suicide bombing on Palm Sunday, 9 April, at Tanta’s Mar-Girgis had claimed some 30 lives and injured scores. Anba Pola has renamed the church Mar-Girgis of the Martyrs.
The Pope also headed to the coastal city of Alexandria where he met the injured and the families of the 16 families who lost loved ones during the suicide bombing at the gate of St Mark’s cathedral in Alexandria. He offered his condolences to them as well as words of comfort. He also visited in hospital the policemen injured in the bombing.