In Pics: Pope leads Mass marking 50th anniversary of construction of Abbasiya's Cathedral of St. Mark

CAIRO - 18 November 2018: Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark Diocese led a Mass marking the 50th anniversary of the construction of Abbasiya's Cathedral of St. Mark.

A host of priests, bishops and Copts attended the event.The surroundings of the cathedral was intensely secured.

The church was closed for three years for renovations that were carried out by senior engineers.



Located in the Abbasiya district of Cairo, the cathedral has experienced many splendid and groundbreaking moments.

The cornerstone of the new edifice was laid on 24 July 1965 in a ceremony attended by late president Gamal Abdel Nasser who personally contributed several thousand pounds to the construction of the Cathedral.

Nasser also attended the inaugural ceremony in June 1968, together with Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and other political and ecclesiastical dignitaries from around the world. The new Cathedral in Cairo then became the seat of Shenouda III, the then Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria.