Catholic Church expresses condolences over former Vatican’s FM

CAIRO – July 6, 2018: Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac, the Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church and the Head of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, sent a cable of condolences, to Pope Francis on the death of French cardinal and former Vatican foreign minister Jean-Louis Tauran.

On Friday, the French cardinal, known for his role in boosting the ties between the Muslim World and the Roman Catholic Church, passed away at the age of 75 in the United States.

Having served 12 years in office as the Vatican’s foreign minister, Tauran was hailed as one of the World leaders that desisted and opposed the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003 and described it as a “crime against humanity.”

He also chaired the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and visited the Saudi Kingdom, where he met with King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz.