Pope Tawadros II at the 10 May general audience

His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, attended the General Audience on Wednesday, 10May, the "Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship".

In his opening greeting, after recalling his first visit in 2013 and Pope Francis' visit in 2017, Pope Tawadros prayed the following: "In this world, let us walk as he [Christ] walked, let us sing with David in his Psalm, "my steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not faltered" (Ps 17:5), and let us call the whole world to a peace that transcends all minds, praying that it may reach all places and be the priority of leaders and peoples..."

In response, the Holy Father then thanked Pope Tawadros for his visit and led the following prayer: "Together with you, I implore God Almighty, through the intercession of the Saints and Martyrs of the Coptic Church, that He may help us to grow in communion, in a single and holy bond of faith, hope and Christian love." He added, "and speaking of the martyrs of the Coptic Church, who are also ours, I want to recall the martyrs on the Libyan beach, who were martyred a few years ago".

_{Photo © Servizio Fotografico | Vatican Media}