On the First Day of His Visit to the Vatican… His Holiness Pope Tawadros II Participates in the General Audience of His Holiness Pope Francis and Visits the Vatican Museum
On the first day of his visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, participated in the weekly General Audience held by His Holiness Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
When they met, the two Popes warmly embraced each other and took their seats, flanked by representatives from His Holiness Pope Tawadros' delegation and a number of Vatican leaders.
Many people gathered in the arena despite the usual rainy weather this time of year. There was a prevailing state of joy as they enjoyed several Coptic melodies before His Holiness Pope Tawadros gave his speech. His Holiness started his talk by saying the sign of the cross in the Coptic language. He also congratulated His Holiness Pope Francis on the 10th anniversary of his enthronement and expressed appreciation for the efforts made in several fields since then.
In his speech, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II emphasized the importance of the Day of Brotherly Love as it represents the Christian values of love and unity in serving God. He mentioned the historic meeting between His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and His Holiness Pope Paul VI, which occurred half a century ago. His Holiness also discussed the Church of Alexandria, which was founded in Egypt by St. Mark the Apostle and visited by the Holy Family. He highlighted the Theological School of Alexandria as well as the origin of monastic life, which has spread worldwide. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II concluded with a Prayer for global peace, which transcends every mind, urging world leaders and individuals alike to prioritise it above all else.
His Holiness Pope Francis then expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II for accepting his invitation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between His Holiness Pope Paul VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on May 10, 1973. He also fondly recalled their first meeting a decade ago, during which His Holiness Pope Tawadros II proposed the annual celebration of brotherly love between the two Churches and talking to each other by phone on this occasion. His Holiness Pope Francis praised His Holiness Pope Tawadros II for his efforts to strengthen the friendship between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Churches and asked the audience to pray for the safety and success of His Holiness Pope Tawadros' visit. He also paid tribute to the Coptic martyrs who lost their lives in Libya. At the end of his speech, His Holiness Pope Francis humbly requested His Holiness Pope Tawadros II to bless the crowd gathered at St. Peter's Square.
In the evening, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II along with the accompanying delegation visited the Vatican Museum, located just a few meters away from Santa Marta House, the residence of His Holiness in the Vatican City.
The museum tour undertaken by His Holiness and his entourage was quite informative. The guide gave a detailed explanation of the artefacts and their history. The museum boasts of an impressive collection of 70,000 paintings, sculptures, statues, and other artefacts, with 20,000 of them on display…
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