Thousands of Copts visited the grave of the late Pope Shenouda III at Bishoy Monastery after it was reopened on Tuesday. The visitors performed prayers and had lunch in a dining hall inside the monastery.
On 31 March, seven people were killed and four were injured due to overcrowding at the grave. The Holy Synod decided to close the site for 11 days after the incident, and new procedures for visiting the site have been put in place.
Calm returned to the monastery after a new system, which requires visitors to obtain a permit before visiting, was put in place.
A steel bar was placed around the site to keep visitors in an orderly line, and iron barricades have been placed around the grave to prevent overcrowding.
Bishop Ivraim, the monastery official in charge of visits, said that the crowding will continue until the 40th day following the pope's death. A ceremony will be held on that day that is open only to members of the Holy Synod, church officials, and invited guests.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
