Two unidentified gunmen opened fire on Friday outside Mar Mina Church in Cairo's Helwan district, Egypt's Health and Interior ministries said.
Security forces shot one of the assailants dead in an exchange of fire, while the second gunman fled the scene, interior ministry sources told The Guardian.
The attack outside the Mar Mina Church left nine people dead and five others wounded, the Ministry of Health spokesman, Khalid Mogahed, said in comments aired on TV.
Other media reports say that three policemen are among the victims.
Social media users shared footage of the exchange of gunfire
Al Masry Al Youm shared a video of one of the assailants before his arrest
Local media aired footage of the assailant's body, showing a bearded man wearing a bulky explosive vest, lying on the street as crowds gathered around.
Egyptian media also reported that the other assailant has been apprehended with a machine gun, ammunition and a bomb that he intended to detonate at the church.
Today's deadly attack took place as Egyptian Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the country's population, prepare to celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7.
Last April, at least 45 people died in deadly attacks carried out by the so-called Islamic State (or Daesh) on Coptic churches in Alexandria and Tanta.