The Damanhur Criminal Court, north of Cairo, announced the verdict for two defrocked monks identified as Isaiah and Faltaous who can appeal.
The two were convicted of killing of Bishop Epiphanius, an abbot at St Macarius Monastery built in the fourth century, in July.
The abbot's death shook Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest in the world and the one that gave monasticism to the faith.
Following Epiphanius' death, the church took measures aimed at instilling discipline into monastic life.
Among them was a halt in admitting novices to monasteries nationwide for a year.
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