Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Authorities in Alexandria have authorized the burial of Father Tadros Atiya Allah following his death in a fall from a residential building in the Moharram Bek district, as prosecutors continue investigations to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.
The decision to release the body for burial was issued after initial inquiries by the Alexandria Public Prosecution, which launched a formal investigation on Sunday evening after receiving notification of the incident. Security services were alerted by the police emergency department to reports that a man had fallen from an upper floor of a building within the jurisdiction of Moharram Bek police station.
A security cordon was quickly established around the site, and an ambulance transported the body to the morgue pending prosecutorial review.
Preliminary forensic examination indicated that Father Tadros sustained multiple fractures consistent with a fall from a significant height. According to eyewitnesses who were present near the scene, the priest had reportedly been inside a service building and appeared to lose consciousness while standing on a balcony, leading to a sudden loss of balance and his fall.
Investigators have tasked the Criminal Investigation Department with completing final inquiries to definitively establish the circumstances of the fall and determine whether any criminal suspicion exists. Officials have emphasized that all legal and medical procedures were followed immediately after the incident.
Father Tadros Atiya Allah served as priest of the Church of Mar Girgis El-Matar in Alexandria and was a professor of New Testament studies at the Theological Seminary in the city. Born on August 9, 1963, he was ordained a priest in 1997 by Pope Shenouda III and was elevated to the rank of Archpriest in 2021 by Pope Tawadros II.
The funeral prayers are scheduled to take place on Monday at Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the Ramleh Station area of Alexandria.
In an official statement, the Alexandria Theological Seminary mourned the late priest, describing him as a devoted teacher who dedicated his life to ecclesiastical education and pastoral service. Church sources characterized him as a respected academic figure whose contributions extended beyond parish ministry to shaping generations of theology students.
The incident has prompted an outpouring of grief within church circles in Alexandria, where Father Tadros was regarded as both a spiritual guide and an accomplished scholar. Authorities have indicated that further details will be made public once the investigation is complete.
