His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received on Wednesday 27 December 2017, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb, accompanied by a number of leaders of Al-Azhar sheikdom, as well as Dr. Mohammed Mokhtar Gomaa, Minister of Awqaf and the leaders of the ministry and also the virtue of Dr. Mohamed Hamdi Zaqzouq member of the Council of Senior Muslim Scholars and Secretary General of the Egyptian Family House. They all greeted the Pope and the pontiffs of the church for Christmas.
The Islamic leaders were accompanied by Sheikh Mohamed Abu Zaid, General Coordinator of the Egyptian Family House, Dr. Sheikh Mohieddin Afifi, Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy, Sheikh Saleh Abbas, Head of alAzhar academies Sector, Mr. Hassan Mohamed, Head of Grand Imam Sector, Sheikh Gaber Tayea, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf, Dr. Amin Abdel Wahed, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Dr. Mohamed Khedr, Director General of Scientific Affairs in Al-Azhar.
The visit was attended by Their Eminences Bishop Ermia, General Bishop and head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center, Fr. Sergius Sergius, Under-Secretary General of the Patriarchate in Cairo, Fr. Angelos Isaac and Fr. Amonius Adel, Secretaries of His Holiness the Pope, Fr. Boulos Halim, spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Mr. Gerges Saleh Secretary-General of the Middle East Churches Council.