To His Holiness Tawadros II
Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Stint Mark
“I have called you friends, because I have made cnown to you everything that I have heard from my Father” (Jn 15:15)
Your Holiness, beloved brother in Christ,
As we approach the anniversary of our fraternal meeting in Rome on 10 May 2013, I recall our memorable encounter in Egypt last year,and I willingly take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt best wishes for your health and serenity.At the same time, I express my joy at the increasingly deeper spiritual relations between the See of Saint Peter and the See of Saint Mark.
With gratitude we can say that “what unites us is much greater than what divides us”(cf. Ut Unum Sint, 20). We profess our faith in God the Father Almighty, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. Through our baptism we become incorporated into Christ and into his Church, the People of God, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. As brothers in Christ, we profess “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5).
On the feast of Pentecost we give thanks for the coming of the Holy Spirit, gift of love, Spirit of fellowship and communion, source of joy. “The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). The Holy Spirit strengthens the bonds of friendship among our Churches, fills the hearts of the faithful, and enkindles in them the fire of his love.
I assure Your Holiness of my unceasing prayer for you and all Christians in Egypt and throughout the Middle East, especially for the brothers and sisters who daily face difficult trials. May the Holy Spirit, the giver of peace, grant happiness, harmony and safety to the whole human family, and in particular to the beloved people of Egypt. In this context, was happy to learn of the inauguration of the new Nativity of Christ Cathedral, and I pray that it will be a sign of hope and a symbol of peaceful coexistence in Egyptian society.
During their last round of plenary meetings the members of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches continued their reflection on the sacraments, while its next meeting will examine the sacrament of marriage. I am sure that Your Holiness shares with me the ardent hope that this important dialogue will continue to make progress and open the way for our people to live in closer unity.
May the Holy Spirit fill us with delight in God’s blessings, gather us in one accord, unite us ever more in the holy bond of Christian love, and guide us on our common pilgrimage in truth and in charity towards full communion.
It is with these sentiments that on the occasion of the day of friendship between Copts and Catholics, I exchange with Your Holiness a fraternal embrace of peace in Christ our Lord.
From the Vatican,4 May 2018
Francis
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