Italian papers tout Pope Francis’ visit to Egypt

CAIRO – 29 April 2017: Italian newspapers underscored the importance of Pope Francis’ visit to Egypt which comes weeks after two terrorist bombings hit Mari Girgis Church in Tanta and Alexandria’s Coptic Orthodox Church.

Italian newspaper “Il Giornale d’Italia” described the Pope’s visit to Egypt as “very successful,” saying that the messenger of peace returns to Rome very happily.



The visit was wrapped up successfully after Pope Francis left Egypt safely, the Italian paper said, noting that the pontiff managed to convey a message of hope that would help the Egyptian people defeat terrorism.

Meanwhile, another Italian paper, “Il Messagero”, highlighted Pope Francis’ visit to Cairo, asserting that it would boost Egypt-Vatican relations, eliminate bias, and promote inter-religious discourse.



Francis’ meeting with Al Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb is a key step to spreading peace worldwide, especially that bilateral relations between Cairo and the Vatican have witnessed tension since 2011 after former Pope Benedict XVI criticized Islam in the Middle East, it noted.

Pope Francis left Cairo on Saturday heading to Rome, successfully finalizing the two-day visit to Egypt where he had met with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Al Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb and Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark.

Francis’s successful visit is the second of its kind since John Paul II's historic trip to Cairo in February 2000.