Apparitions in Assiut

Church officials in Egypt say thousands of Christians are continuing to flock to the town of Assiut after reported sightings of the Virgin Mary and other spiritual apparitions.

A priest in Assiut, Father Mina Hanna, told the BBC that he had never experienced anything like it.

He said people had been sleeping in the streets around the church of St Mark -- where the apparitions were reported -- and standing on rooftops to catch a glimpse.

Christians in Assiut, in southern Egypt, said the apparitions began more than two weeks ago, and had been repeated several times since.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service