The renovation of St. Paul and St. Peter Church will be completed before 7 January, meaning ahead of Coptic Christmas, according to Kamel Al-Wazeery, head of the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority, state media reported.
The church, located inside the complex of St. Mark’s Cathedral, Egypt’s main Orthodox Church in Cairo’s Abbasiya, was attacked on Sunday. According to state officials, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the church.
The blast resulted in the killing of at least 25 people and injured 49 others. On Wednesday, Pope Tawadros II and Health Minister Ahmed Emad El-Din visited Al-Demerdash hospital to where the injured were transferred.
According to state media, 12 injured are still being treated at the hospital, while eight others went to Al-Galaa military hospital. While several injured were reported to have left hospitals in good condition, one of two injured people treated at Dar Al-Shefaa Hospital is still in intensive care.
The incident took place during mass on Sunday, which also coincided with the Islamic celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. Four people, including a woman, were arrested, while two suspects are fugitives, according to the Ministry of Interior.
On Tuesday, the so-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
