Bishop Epiphanius, the head of Abu Makar (Saint Macarius the Great) (Photo: The Coptic Orthodox Church Official FB page)
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church has announced that the funeral of a bishop who was found dead inside a monastery will be held on Tuesday.
A post on the church’s official Facebook page said the funeral for Bishop Epiphanius, the head of Anba Makar Monastery in Beheira governorate, will take place at the monastery at noon.
The church said the bishop passed away on Sunday in "shadowy circumstances", adding that “official investigations by formal parties have commenced and questioning is now underway regarding this matter.”
"We await what the results of these investigation will reveal," the church said in the statement.
Bishop Epiphanius, 64, headed the monastery, located in Wadi El-Natroun, about 90km north-west of Cairo.
The monastery was founded in approximately 360 AD by Saint Macarius, who was the spiritual father to more than four thousand monks of
different nationalities.
The monastery has been continuously inhabited since the fourth century.
No official statements from Egyptian investigation authorities have yet been issued regarding the bishop’s death.
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