Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi Sunday declared three month state of emergency following two terrorist deadly attacks on Coptic churches in Alexandria and Tanta.
The country's health ministry said Monday that 27 people were killed and 68 injured in the first blast, which hit St. George Church in Tanta as it was packed with Sunday worshipers.
Hours later, a suicide bomber struck the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria's Manshyia district. Maher said he didn't recall any unusual movements, but other worshippers told him that they saw a man rushing inside the church before the explosion.
At funeral services, Copts insisted they will "pray for the rest of our lives" and keep going to church, despite Sunday's twin bomb attacks on churches in Alexandria and Tanta, north of Cairo, that cost 45 lives.
On April 9, two blasts rocked two different churches in two different cities of Egypt.
He also announced the formation of a supreme council for fighting terrorism and extremism in Egypt as per a new law to give it sufficient authorities to do the job.
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Meanwhile, Pope Francis expressed sorrow over the latest attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt. Another massive bombing in 2016 killed at least 25 people inside a Cairo church during Sunday mass. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Israel is also closing its Taba border crossing into Egypt after warning of an "imminent" militant attack there. Two bombs exploded at the churches and 47 people have died so far.
Egyptians practicing Christianity are a targeted minority on any given day, but especially on the Christian holiday, Palm Sunday.
President el-Sissi held an emergency meeting at the National Defence Council while saying the attacks would only strengthen the country against "evil forces". Such concerns had earlier seen the beleaguered community swing behind President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi's 2013 overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood with the promise he would protect them.
Monday's statement said security officials were able to identify three of those killed, who were born in Egypt and thought to be planning attacks targeting Christians in Assiut and the neighbouring province of Sohag. More recently, hundreds of Egyptian Christians fled the northern Sinai Peninsula following several murders of Christians there and threats of more attacks.
The Palm Sunday attacks, the single deadliest day for Christians in decades, rattled the community and prompted messages of support from overseas, including from Pope Francis, who is set to visit Egypt in the coming weeks, and President Donald Trump.
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