HH Pope Tawadros II headed a high-level church delegation on Monday, 19 June 2017, to greet Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar for the Lesser Feast .
The delegation was received by Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb، Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Dr. Abbas Shoman secretary of Al-Azhar, Dr. Mohieddin Afifi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, Counselor Mohammed Abdul Salam, Legal Counselor of Al-Azhar.
The Grand Imam thanked HH the Pope and affirmed that this visit bolsters good ties betweeen Al Azhar and the Orthodox church, which no one could harm or disturb. It is also an expression of love of Muslims and Christians, which is greater then all attempts to divide Egyptians. He called on God Almighty to restore such blessed days to our dear Egypt with more progress and prosperity.
For his part, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II stressed that Muslims and Christians live on the land of cohesion, brotherhood and Communication, and that the strong relations between Al-Azhar and church are a unique example of co-existence among the people of the same homeland, noting that the feasts are a good occasion to unite, and express the linkage of Egyptians.
The meeting was held in an atmosphere of familiarity and love, in which the attendees called for the need to highlight noble moral values in Egyptian society, to uphold the values of tolerance and moderation and to return to the original Egyptian customs and traditions, stressing that there is a strong voice in facing the behaviors that are beyond the values and culture of the Egyptian people.
