Latest news with #TawadrosII
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Serbia expresses interest in deepening ties with Al-Azhar - Foreign Affairs
Serbian Prime Minister Duro Mascut expressed his pleasure on Wednesday at meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb, affirming Serbia's interest in deepening its relationship with Al-Azhar. This came during PM Mascut's meeting with Sheikh El-Tayyeb at Al-Azhar's headquarters. During the meeting, Mascut voiced his country's commitment to enhancing cooperation in education and religious dialogue by sending Serbian students to study at Al-Azhar at the university level and pre-university education. He also conveyed Serbia's desire to sign cooperation protocols between Al-Azhar University and Serbian universities to support joint academic and research projects, including faculty and student exchanges. The Serbian prime minister reiterated his country's keenness to strengthen ties with Islamic institutions, particularly Al-Azhar. Moreover, he affirmed Serbia's support for the Palestinian cause, evident in its vote in favor of granting Palestine full membership at the United Nations and its consistent position in support of the Palestinian people's right to establish their independent state. For his part, Sheikh El-Tayyeb affirmed Al-Azhar's readiness to meet the needs of Serbian Muslims by training imams at the Al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers. He said the training will equip religious leaders to address contemporary intellectual and social challenges, such as promoting human fraternity, positive coexistence, women's rights in Islam, and rational rebuttals to extremist ideologies. El-Tayyeb also expressed Al-Azhar's willingness to welcome Serbian Muslim students to study at Al-Azhar University and establish a centre for Arabic language education in Serbia to help Muslim community members learn the Quran language. The grand imam stressed that peace and mutual understanding are Al-Azhar's core principles. He stated that Al-Azhar instills in its students a deep sense of patriotism, respect for diversity, and openness to others. "Difference is a divine universal law, and peaceful coexistence is central to Islamic teaching," he highlighted. Meeting with Pope Tawadros II Earlier on Tuesday, Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, received Prime Minister Muscat and his accompanying delegation at the papal residence in Cairo as part of his current official visit to Egypt. Upon his arrival, the Serbian prime minister wrote a message in the VIP visitors' book before beginning his meeting with the pope. During their meeting, Pope Tawadros II welcomed PM Muscat, recalling their previous meeting in Belgrade a long time ago. "Although the visit lasted only a few days, it left many beautiful memories. When I returned to Egypt, I spoke to many people about your beautiful country,' the pope said. He noted that the Coptic Orthodox Church, founded in the first century, is a centuries-old church that has played a vital role in Egyptian society. "Egypt is the only country the Holy Family visited, which gives it great significance in both religious tourism and sacred history. This visit sanctified the land of Egypt, making it one of Christianty's holy lands alongside Palestine," Pope Tawdros II added. The pope highlighted that Saint Mark the Apostle founded the Coptic Orthodox Church, and Saint Anthony was the first to practice monasticism, a path followed by monks worldwide. This affirms the church's profound role in Christian life. He further noted that the church serves society in Egypt and abroad. 'I hoped your visit could include more of the historical and religious landmarks that Egypt is known for,' he told the Serbian prime minister, adding that the Egyptian government is very interested in the path of the Holy Family, part of which was on land and part through the Nile River. Pope Tawadros also emphasized the importance of promoting religious tourism between Egypt and Serbia. For his part, PM Mascut expressed his honour at meeting Pope Tawadros II again, praising the Coptic Orthodox Church for preserving Christian history and highlighting the Coptic community's vital role in Egyptian society. He also recalled the pope's recent visit to Serbia as warm and memorable, noting that this trip to Egypt marks his first official foreign visit as prime minister. Furthermore, Mascut conveyed greetings from Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Serbian prime minister also said he had seen the church in Egypt's New Administrative Capital during his meeting with the Egyptian prime minister. Pope Tawadros said this church is the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, which President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated on the same day as the Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque. He pointed out that the Coptic Orthodox Church enjoys good relations with the president, the government, Al-Azhar, and other Christian churches in Egypt and worldwide. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Watani
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Watani
Pope Tawadros II calls Pope Leo XIV
Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, made a phone call on the evening of 6 June 2025 to Pope Leo XIV to congratulate him on being elected as Pope, to shoulder the responsibility of leading the Roman Catholic Church. During the call, the two Popes affirmed the continued warm relationship of love between the two Churches of Rome and Alexandria, and the annual celebration of the Day of Brotherly Love between the two Churches on 10 May. Their conversation dealt with the suffering of the people of Gaza owing to war and famine, stressing the urgent need for an immediate end to assaults. They also talked about the issue of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai and the current land dispute with the Egyptian government, expressing appreciation for Egypt's political leadership and the government's affirmation that the 6th-century Orthodox monastery and its monks will always remain protected and unharmed. The call concluded with Pope Tawadros extending an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Egypt and the Church of Egypt. Comments comments Tags: Mariam FarouqPope Tawadros call Pope Leo XIV
Watani
09-06-2025
- General
- Watani
Pope Tawadros II receives HOPE servants
Pope Tawadros II received on 7 June 2025 the servants of the HOPE Organization at the Papal Residence in Cairo, who are on service week in Egypt. The Pope spoke to them about the depth of spiritual service, the blessing it bestows on the soul, and its lasting impact on the life of the servant. He presented each servant with a HIGH Office Passport. At the end of the meeting, commemorative photos were taken with joy in front of Saint Mark's Cathedral in Abbassia. The meeting was attended by Metropolitan Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States of America, along with Bishop Basil and Bishop Gregory, general bishops of the same diocese. He gifted each of them with a HIGH Office Shield. The service visit by HOPE Organization to Egypt was coordinated with the HIGH Office, which is responsible for facilitating communication between Coptic Church dioceses outside Egypt and the areas most in need of service within the dioceses of Egypt. The office was established by a decision of the Holy Synod in March 2024. The name 'HIGH' is an acronym for 'Hands in God's Hand'. H.O.P.E. is the social services arm of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern US. Established under the auspices of Bishop Youssef, H.O.P.E. serves Christians in need around the world. The service is financed purely by donations, and all services are performed by volunteer workers so that 100 per cent of each donation goes towards helping those in need. Services in Egypt include aid for underserved Egyptian families, adult education and literacy classes, aiding couples planning marriage with their new homes, and helping the elderly. In Sudan, three buses were operated to evacuate people outside the war-torn country; in Botswana, families were provided with bathrooms; addicts were helped rehabilitate; and persons with disability were cared for. In Ethiopia Kenya and other places such as Syria, Thailand, and Lebanon, food was distributed in disaster ares and orphans were given much needed care. Comments comments Tags: Basma NasserPope Tawadros HOPE organization
Al-Ahram Weekly
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Pope Tawadros, Vatican Pope praise Egypt stance on St. Catherine's Monastery - Society
Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, and Pope Leo XIV, head of the Vatican, praised Egypt's political leadership in a phone call on Friday evening for reaffirming that Saint Catherine's Monastery will remain untouched. Their conversation followed recent reports—repeatedly denied by Egyptian officials—claiming that authorities planned to evacuate the UNESCO World Heritage site and its Greek Orthodox monks as part of the Great Transfiguration Project. During the call, Pope Tawadros II congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election as head of the Roman Catholic Church. The two religious leaders also discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, condemning the ongoing Israeli war and the resulting famine. Both called for an immediate ceasefire. Additionally, Pope Tawadros invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Egypt and the Coptic Church. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Today
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Pope Tawadros II Invites Pope Leo XIV to Visit Egypt
File photo-Egypt's Coptic Pope Tawadros II - CC CAIRO – June 7, 2025: Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, held a phone call on Friday evening, June 6, with Pope Leo XIV of the Vatican to congratulate him on his recent election as head of the Roman Catholic Church. He also extended an official invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Egypt and the Coptic Church. During the conversation, the two popes reaffirmed the deep and enduring relationship between their churches, and expressed their commitment to continuing the annual celebration of the Day of Fraternal Love, according to Bishop Moussa Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Coptic Orthodox Church. The discussion also addressed the ongoing suffering of the people of Gaza due to the escalating war and humanitarian crisis. Both leaders emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid. In addition, they praised the Egyptian government's firm stance on preserving Saint Catherine's Monastery—one of the world's oldest Christian monasteries, dating back to the 6th century AD—underscoring its historical and spiritual significance. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected on Thursday as the first American pope, and took the name Leo XIV. Prevost, 69, is the267th pontiff after being elected by the College of Cardinals to succeed Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88. According to Vatican news, Prevost was Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent. He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy.
