A monk who served as a confessional priest for one of two defrocked monks charged with the murder of Bishop Epiphanius at the Monastery of St. Macarius died after suffering a ‘sudden health crisis’ on Wednesday. Zenon El-Makary, 45, was rushed to hospital from Al-Muharraq monastery after complaining from severe abdominal pains, said the Coptic Orthodox Church’s spokesperson. According to medical officials, an initial autopsy revealed that El-Makary was likely poisoned. El-Makary was scheduled to testify as a witness the day before he died in the trial of two defrocked monks identified by the Coptic Orthodox Church as Wael Saad and Remon Rasmi Mansour. Following the murder of Bishop Epiphanius at Abu Makar Monastery, the Coptic Orthodox Church implemented a number of changes, including a social media ban for monks. Additionally, the Church relocated six monks, including El-Makary, from Abu Makar Monastery. Egyptian police are now investigating whether El-Makary’s death was linked to the murder of Bishop Epiphanius and the fact he was set to testify. A Bishop’s Murder Bishop Epiphanius, 64, was the head of Anba Makar Monastery (Saint Macarius the Great) near Wadi el-Natroun. The Coptic Orthodox Church released a statement on…
Coptic Monk ‘Dies of Poisoning’ Day Before Bishop Murder Trial
September 28, 2018
