Erection of the eparchy of Abu Qurqas, Egypt, and election of the first bishop of the eparchy of Abu Qurqas

His Beatitude Patriarch Ibrahim Sedrak, with the consent of the bishops of the Synod of the Patriarchal Church of Alexandria of the Copts, and after consulting the Apostolic See, has erected the eparchy of Abu Qurqas, with territory taken from the eparchy of Minya, in accordance with canon 85 CCEO.

The Synod of the Patriarchal Church of Alexandria of the Copts has appointed as first bishop of the eparchy of Abu Qurqas the Reverend Father Bechara Giuda, O.F.M., currently parish priest of the Shrine of the Stigmata of Saint Francis in Assiut, to which the Holy Father had granted his consent.

Reverend Father Bechara Giuda, O.F.M.

The Reverend Father Bechara Giuda, O.F.M., was born on 28 August 1971 in Al-Nagila. He entered the Seraphic Seminary of Assiut in 1983 and gave his first vows on 1 September 1996. He attended courses in philosophy at the Franciscan Seminary in Guizeh, and following his military service, he studied theology first at the Patriarchal seminary in Maadi, Cairo, and then at the Sao Paulo University in Harissa, Lebanon.

After his solemn vows on 23 March 2001 he was ordained a priest on 8 June of the same year.

In the Franciscan province of Egypt he has held various offices as parish priest, counsellor and director of the school in Kom Ombo.

Since 2010 he has served as pastor and guardian of the Shrine of the Stigmata of Saint Francis in Assiut.

Besides Arabic, he knows Italian.