His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received today at the papal residence in Cairo, The Grand Imam, Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar Gomaa, Minister of Endowments, and a delegation of leaders of the sheikhdom and Al-Azhar University, to congratulate His Holiness on the glorious Christmas.
His Holiness the Pope welcomed the Imam, expressing his happiness at visiting him and congratulating him, pointing out that the holidays are a good opportunity to express the love between us as the sons of one country.
Concerning Christmas, His Holiness said: “The birth of Christ brought joy to mankind, and this is what the angels sang in conjunction with Christmas: Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, to people of goodwill. We also need to live in peace, personal, family, community, and global peace, and peace is only interrupted by the sin of man.
For his part, His Eminence congratulated His Holiness the Pope on the feast and pointed out that the concept of peace that His Holiness spoke about calls Muslims in their prayers by saying: “Oh God, you are peace and from you is peace…” and this indicates that the root of divine religions is one and that people are brothers, and his eminence emphasized that Exchanging congratulations and visiting is not just a compliment, but what Islam calls for brotherhood and love. He also warned of the many dangers facing the world such as climate change, atheism, homosexuality and others that threaten the integrity of families and societies, which religious leaders must confront.
The congratulatory guests were received, along with His Holiness the Pope, by H.E. Metropolitan Marcos, Metropolitan of Shubra El-Khaymah, H.G. Bishop Danial, Bishop of Maadi, Basatin & Dar Elsalam and Secretary of the Holy Synod, H.G. Bishop Ermia, The General Bishop, H.G. Bishop Yolios, General Bishop of Coptic Cairo, Manial & Fom ElKhalig, Fr. Sergius Sergius, representative of the Patriarchate in Cairo, and Monk Fr. Kirolos St. Bishoy, Director of the Office of His Holiness the Pope, Fr. Mousa Ibrahim, the Church’s official spokesman, and Mrs Barbara Soliman, Director of the Papal Office for Projects.
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