Coptic Pope Tawadros II has arrived in Rome for his visit to Vatican City set on Wednesday, marking 50 years of relations between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope Tawadros II was greeted by the Egyptian Ambassador to the Vatican, Mahmoud Talaat, the Egyptian Ambassador to Italy, Bassam Rady, and the Secretary of the Dicaster for the Promotion of Christian Unity Mons, Brian Farrell.
Tawadros II is set to attending the weekly public hearing by Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, held in the Paul VI hall, said the statement released by the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The weekly public hearing also mark the 50th anniversary of the release of a joint statement in 1973 in Vatican City by Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III.
Delegations of the two churches will be performing an ecumenical prayer for peace, unity and love in the world, the statement added.
Pope Tawadros will be meeting with Pope Francis at the St. Giovanni Church in Rome, and Pope Tawadros will be deliver a speech about the relationship between the two churches, Ambassador Rady said.
“Pope Tawadros is considered one of Egypt’s national symbols who is respected by all Egyptians. He is the author of the timeless historic quote, ‘A homeland without churches is better than churches without a homeland,’ during a time when Egypt was facing extremely delicate and unprecedented circumstances in its modern history,” said Rady.
The visit is Pope Tawadros’ second visit to the Vatican as head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the first was during 2013 shortly after assuming the helm.
