Pope Tawadros, Vatican Pope praise Egypt stance on St. Catherine's Monastery
Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, and Pope Leo XIV, head of the Vatican, praised Egypt’s political leadership in a phone call on Friday evening for reaffirming that Saint Catherine’s Monastery will remain untouched.
Combined images of (From L to R) Head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II and the Vatican Pope Leo XIV.
Their conversation followed recent reports—repeatedly denied by Egyptian officials—claiming that authorities planned to evacuate the UNESCO World Heritage site and its Greek Orthodox monks as part of the Great Transfiguration Project.
During the call, Pope Tawadros II congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The two religious leaders also discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, condemning the ongoing Israeli war and the resulting famine. Both called for an immediate ceasefire.
Additionally, Pope Tawadros invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Egypt and the Coptic Church.
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