Pope Francis Calls For Forgiveness During Egypt Mass, Meets Muslim and Christian Leaders
Pope Francis urged believers to forgive those who terrorize and persecute them as he celebrated Mass on Saturday in Cairo on the last day of his two-day visit.
"True faith ... makes us see the other not as an enemy to be overcome, but a brother or sister to be loved," the pope said in his homily, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal. "Do not be afraid to love everyone, friends and enemies alike."
The pope's call for forgiveness came less than three weeks after Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists killed more than 40 Orthodox Coptic Christians in Palm Sunday bombings that struck two Egyptian churches.
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Pope Francis also met Christian and Muslim leaders in Egypt during his visit.
On Friday, he visited St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, which was the site of a deadly bombing in December. He was joined by Coptic Orthodox Church Head Pope Tawadros II, CNN reported.
The two religious leaders also sealed a 12-point declaration of the two churches' solidarity with one another.
It stated that, "The tragic experiences and the bloodshed by our faithful who were persecuted and killed for the sole reason of being Christian, remind use all the more that the ecumenism of martyrdom unites us and encourages us along the way to peace and reconciliation."
Pope Francis also delivered a speech calling for peace in front of leaders of different religions at the Al-Azhar University.
Francis addressed the crowd with "As-Salaam Alaikum," which translates to, "Peace be with you" in Arabic, reported the Los Angeles Times.
He then proceeded to affirm the church's stance against violence and exhorted the audience to do their part in promoting peace.
"Together, from this land that is the place where civilizations converged, we must reaffirm our categorical rejection of all forms of violence, retaliation, and hatred that are perpetrated in the name of God," said the pontiff.
He ended his speech and embraced the grand imam of the Al-Azhar mosque, Sheikh Ahmed Tayeb, in what many perceived to be an emotional moment for both Christians and Muslims alike.
Francis also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to acknowledge his efforts to give more breathing space for the Christians in the predominantly-Muslim nation, reported USA Today.
