His Holiness Pope Tawadros II met this evening with His Eminence Sheikh Mustafa Yusuf Spahić, the Grand Mufti of Serbia, and his accompanying delegation at the Pope’s residence in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Ambassador to Serbia, Mr. Bassel Salah.

The Mufti’s delegation included Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf, Former Mufti of Serbia, Sheikh Essam Abu Hussein, Head of the Al-Azhar Mission in Serbia, and Sheikh Ramadan Mohamedi, Director of the Islamic School in Belgrade.

The delegation briefed His Holiness on their work in Serbia, highlighting the role of the Al-Azhar mission in promoting Arabic language and Islamic studies and in preserving the religious and cultural identity of the Muslim community in the country.

His Eminence the Mufti expressed his deep connection to Egypt, explaining that his mother is of Egyptian origin and that he completed his postgraduate studies in Egypt. He said:
“Egypt is the mother of the world. I studied at Al-Azhar University during the presidency of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb. Our relationship with Egypt is deep and rooted—Egypt has always been, and continues to be, a beacon of knowledge for the Islamic world.”

For his part, Pope Tawadros emphasized that the Egyptian state does not distinguish between Muslims and Christians in any national institution. “We are Egyptians before anything else, and we all live together under a shared umbrella of love and citizenship,” he said.

The delegation praised this spirit of national unity and expressed their pride in the close relationship between the Coptic Church and Al-Azhar. They highlighted their appreciation for the inclusive humanitarian messages of Pope Tawadros and his love for all people.

At the end of the meeting, the delegation presented His Holiness with a traditional handmade Serbian gift as a token of their appreciation and affection. In return, Pope Tawadros offered them commemorative gifts symbolizing the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt—representing peace, shared history, and the spiritual message that unites all religions on the land of Egypt.

His Holiness concluded by saying:
“May God bless these cordial relations, and may the message of love between religions and peoples continue, so we may remain together as witnesses to peace in the world.”

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