GENERAL AUDIENCE

3 May 2017

At the General Audience in Saint Peter’s Square on Wednesday morning, 3 May, Pope Francis spoke of his recent visit to Egypt. Egypt is and has always been “a sign of hope, of refuge, of help”, he said. The Holy Father gave thanks for his recent Apostolic journey to Egypt recalling the commitment to unity and spoke about the cultural and religious heritage that gives the nation a special role in the work of peacemaking. The following is an excerpt of the catechesis of the Holy Father which he originally delivered in Italian.

[…] Christians in Egypt as in every nation on earth, are called to be the “leaven” of fraternity. This is possible if they live, within themselves, the Communion in Christ. Thank God, we were able to show a strong sign of communion with my dear Brother Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox. We renewed our commitment, also by signing a Common Declaration to journey together, and not to duplicate baptisms already received in the respective Churches. Together we prayed for the martyrs of the recent attacks that tragically struck that venerable Church; and their blood rendered fruitful that ecumenical encounter, in which Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch, my dear Brother, also participated. […]

ORE, 5 May 2017