Pope Francis receives Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in
audience
(Vatican Radio) Pope
Francis received in audience in the Vatican on Monday the Grand Imam of
Al-Azhar, Sheik Ahmed Muhammad Al-Tayyib.
In a note, the Director of
the Vatican Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi sj. said the approximately 30
minute meeting was “very cordial” and that the Grand Imam of Egypt “was
accompanied by an important delegation, which included: Dr. Abbas Shouman,
Undersecretary of Al-Azhar; Dr. Mahmaoud Hamdi Zakzouk, member of the Council
of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar University and Director of the Center for
Dialogue of Al-Azhar; Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, Advisor to the Great
Imam; Dr. Mohie Afifi Afifi Ahmed, secretary-general of the Islamic Research
Academy; Ambassador Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, Diplomatic Advisor to the Grand Imam;
Mr. Tamer Tawfik, Advisor; and Mr Ahmad Alshourbagy, Second Secretary. The
delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to
the Holy See, Mr. Hatem Seif Elnasr.
Upon his arrival in the
Vatican, the Grand Imam was welcomed, and then accompanied to his audience with
the Pope, by the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue, Card. Jean-Louis Tauran, and by the Secretary of the same dicastery,
Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot.
Fr. Lombardi further states
that the Pope and Grand Imam noted “the great significance of this new meeting
in the framework of dialogue between the Catholic Church and Islam.” The two
then mainly “discussed the common commitment of the authorities and the
faithful of the great religions for peace in the world, the rejection of
violence and terrorism, the situation of Christians in the context of conflicts
and tensions in the Middle East and their protection.”
During the meeting, Pope
Francis gave the Grand Imam the Medallion of the olive tree of peace and a copy
of his Encyclical Letter Laudato si'.
Following his audience with
the Holy Father, the Grand Imam and his delegation met briefly with Cardinal
Tauran and Bishop Guixot Ayuso in another audience hall in the Apostolic
Palace.
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