Today (Saturday) H.H. Pope Tawadros II received, at his residence in Venice, His Beatitude Patriarch Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice for the Catholic Church.

His Holiness welcomed the Patriarch and introduced him to the Coptic delegation. He mentioned that they had met 10 years ago in the Catholic Patriarchate of Saint Mark in Venice with the departed Metropolitan Kyrillos.

His Holiness also invited Patriarch Moraglia to visit Egypt, the path of the Holy Family, and the Egyptian monasteries, which are estimated to be 50 monasteries.

Pope Tawadros expressed his happiness with the mutual and numerous visits of love between the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches. He presented an overview of the history and destiny of the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Holy Synod and all Egyptian state institutions. He highlighted the growth of Church education, theological institutes and the spread of Coptic monasticism in Egypt and abroad.

His Beatitude the Patriarch also expressed his happiness on this occasion of the inauguration of a Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, describing the event as a reason for joy for all of Venice.

Pope Tawadros presented the Patriarch with an icon of Saint Mark drawn in the Coptic style by Coptic nuns.

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