This morning, Pope Francis called His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, to express his condolences for the recent attack on the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark in the Abbassia district of the Egyptian capital of Cairo.
Yesterday morning, more than 25 lives were claimed when a bomb was set off outside the cathedral.
The press learned of the Pontiff’s gesture of solidarity in a statement issued this morning by director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke.
According to the Vatican spokesman, Francis expressed his closeness to the Patriarch and the Coptic community that was “so badly hit,” especially to women and children, who represent the greatest number among the victims.
While Patriarch Tawadros II recalled the expression Pope Francis pronounced during their meeting at the Vatican, namely the ” blood ecumenism”–the statement noted–Pope Francis rather said: “We are united in the blood of our martyrs.”
The Holy Father promised to pray for the Coptic community during the Mass which is being celebrated today on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Patriarch also thanked the Argentine Pope for His closeness at this time, asked him to pray for them and for peace in their country, and promised to pass along Francis’ condolences to the entire Coptic community.
