Pope Tawadros II dispatched a cable of condolences that was read during the funeral service of the victims of the St. Mark church bombing on Monday afternoon, at the monastery of Mar Mina, west of Alexandria.
The Pope expressed his condolences to the families of the police victims, as well as to those of Christian worshippers, saying that they died on Palm Sunday, coinciding with a festival of joy and celebration in the church.
"We pray for those injured during the incident and for everyone affected by it. May God save Egypt from all evil. We are confident of a bright future and a better tomorrow," the cable concluded.
Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali, meanwhile, announced on Monday that the sum of LE100,000 will be paid to the family of each victim who died in the Tanta and Alexandria bombings; this in addition to the monthly pension of LE1,500 stipulated by the law.
The total number of deaths in the two incidents were 45, up until 3am on Monday, Wali said in a press conference Monday.
Seventeen died in in Alexandria, including 6 Muslims and 11 Christians, she pointed out, adding that the total number of injuries amounted to 126 cases.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
