A Coptic Christian at Easter mass in Cairo, 2017. PA Images. All rights reserved.
Pope Francis’ scheduled visit to Egypt this week comes at a critical time: the country has witnessed a number of terrorist attacks and the authorities have announced a three-month state of emergency.
During his visit, the Pope is expected to meet with Sheikh El Tayeb, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar – a university and mosque in Cairo and one of Sunni Islam’s most powerful and influential centres for learning and issuance of religious opinions. According to Catholic news sources, “the Pope’s trip will likely focus largely on inter-faith dialogue and Catholic-Muslim relations – especially in combating Christian persecution.”
