His Holiness Pope Tawadros II visited today His Eminence Cardinal Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice of the Catholic Church.

A number of metropolitans and bishops accompanied His Holiness the Pope. The meeting was marked by warmth and mutual affection, with both sides recalling memories of previous encounters between His Holiness and the Cardinal.

In his address, the Patriarch of Venice welcomed His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the accompanying delegation, noting that the visit coincides with the celebration of the 1,200th anniversary of the arrival of the relics of Saint Mark the Apostle to the city of Venice, the saint shared by both Churches. He also referred to the testimony proclaimed by the centurion in the Gospel of Mark, that Christ is the Son of God (Mark 15:39), describing it as a common witness and a commitment entrusted to all Christians.

His Eminence also pointed out that the hall hosting the meeting is adorned with an image of Saint Catherine the Coptic, daughter of Alexandria, an image carrying profound meanings of faith, witness, suffering, and martyrdom. He noted that the strong emphasis on the history of Christian martyrs is a theme especially close to the Coptic Church, which throughout the centuries has been distinguished by persecution and witness to the faith.

For his part, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II expressed his great joy at visiting Venice and praying the Divine Liturgy over the relics of Saint Mark, noting that this is the first time such a large number of Coptic bishops have gathered outside Egypt and prayed together at the altar of Saint Mark in Venice.

His Holiness spoke about the Coptic Orthodox Church as a Church distinguished by martyrdom, referring in particular to the modern-day martyrs who offered their lives as witnesses to Christ in Libya in 2015, whom the Church commemorates annually on February 15. He also noted that Libya is the land from which Saint Mark came to Egypt.

His Holiness reviewed the historical and spiritual roots of Christianity in Egypt, describing Egypt as “a land of great civilization, culture, and faith.” He referred to Saint Anthony the Great, the father of Christian monasticism, and the significance of the Monastery of Saint Anthony in the Red Sea, which remains inhabited by monks to this day. He affirmed: “The ecclesiastical life in Egypt is always alive.”

At the conclusion of his remarks, His Holiness invited Cardinal Francesco Moraglia to visit Egypt and the holy places associated with the journey of the Holy Family, saying: “We await you with joy in the land that welcomed the Holy Family in the first century.”

In a notable expression of love and esteem, the Patriarch asked His Holiness Pope Tawadros II to bless him.

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