St. Mark cathedral hosted a historic East and West meeting, HH Pope Francis and his accompanying delegation arrived at the Cathedral in Abbassia and were received by HH Pope Tawadros II and a large number of bishops of the Holy Synod.
Following his arrival, HH Pope Tawadros II, held a bilateral meeting with HH Pope Francis.
Following the closed meeting, HH Pope Tawadros II and HH Pope Francis I took a commemorative photo before the public meeting that was held in the presence of the official delegation accompanying the Pope and some members of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
During the meeting, HH Pope Tawadros II Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the see of St. Mark and HH Pope Francis Pope of the Vatican, signed a joint statement between the two churches and each one delivered a speech.
After HH Pope Tawadros II and HH Pope Francis and the Vatican and Coptic delegations concluded the joint meeting at the Cathedral of St. Mark in Abbassia, The two Popes exchanged gifts. Pope Francis also presented souvenirs for the church pontiffs who attended the meeting and the same was done by HH Pope Tawadros II.
After HH Pope Tawadros II and Pope Francis meeting concluded they visited the site of martyrs who were martyred in terrorist attack in December last year and then held an ecumenical prayer in the presence of a number of Patriarchs of the Levant Arab and Metropolitans and bishops of the Coptic Church and a number of Egyptian sister churches.
Before Pope Francis enter the Petrine Church, the Church announced a special statement about the visit: “Pope Francis you are, justice and patriotism, and hope remaining for humanity, after accepting our invitation to come to Egypt headed by the invitation of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, that represent all Egyptians, so that the whole world see Egypt, which is the homeland of unity and understanding of the other.
The statement affirmed that Egyptians are always united in pain and joy, declaring to the whole world that Egypt is a united country. “Egypt, as history knows it from a long time ago, is an oasis of peace for all, hoping that Pope Francis revisit the Egyptian Church, saying: “You are in our hearts we pray for you and love Your Holiness Pope Francis, you are the door of peace and welcome in the land of peace.
Pope Francis headed Egypt 2017 ecumenical prayer in the Petrine Church, where His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the Patriarch of the see of St. Mark, thanked God for his many blessings, including Pope Francis visit to St. Mark Church in Cairo. His Holiness said: We pray for all the people in distress and pray for the martyrs who departed, and gave their lives as a sacrifice and witness, “stressing that the prayer includes our beloved Egypt and ask for peace in every land.
Pope Francis placed flowers in front of the memorial plaque bearing the pictures of the Petrine church martyrs.
