This morning, at the Papal Residence in Cairo, H.H. Pope Tawadros II received Mr. Thierry Mariani, member of the European Parliament, and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, His Holiness referred to the ancient history of Egypt, and that Egyptians throughout the ages live together around the Nile River in the spirit of one family, and mentioned that conditions are currently much better thanks to the Law of Building Churches that allows Egyptian Christians to build new churches.

His Holiness emphasized that the Coptic Orthodox Church is a national church that does not work in politics, but serves all Egyptians.

On the relationship with other churches, H.H. commended the special relations that link the Coptic Church with all churches in the world.

Mr. Mariani then expressed his happiness to see the features of equality among all sects of the Egyptian people evident in Egypt today. He commended what he saw in the New Administrative Capital during his visit to it yesterday, where he visited the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, and that what pleased him most was the Egyptian state’s construction of it.

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