Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the Orthodox world, is expected
to join Pope Francis on his upcoming trip to Cairo alongside the
Coptic Pope Tawadros II, Vatican Radio reported Thursday.
In a week's time Francis travels to Cairo where he will visit
the prestigious al-Azhar centre of Islamic studies.
Both the pontiff and Patriarch Bartholomew have been invited
by the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb to attend
an international peace conference there.
During the brief April 28-29 visit, the pope will meet with
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as celebrating
Mass for the local Catholic community.
His visit comes less than a month after two bomb attacks on
Coptic churches in Egypt by so-called Islamic State militants
left 45 people dead and dozens of others injured.
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