In a meeting with Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II expressed his happiness over the king's first visit to Saint Mark Cathedral in Cairo's Abbasiya district.

In an official statement by the church, the pope said that he is pleased with the positive relationship shared by Egypt and Bahrain on both the leadership and national levels.

"We carry kind memories of Bahrain [relayed by Egyptians in that country], as well as our Coptic sons who tell us about the generosity of the kingdom," the pope said.

He added that he valued Bahrain's easing of regulations for the construction of churches in the country.

This is the first-ever meeting between the head of the Coptic Church and King Al-Khalifa.

The king, who arrived Cairo on Tuesday for a two-day visit, attended with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi the signing of 11 memorandums of understanding in different fields during a joint business forum held in Cairo.

The visit aimed at boosting "strong historical ties" between Egypt and Bahrain and addressing recent regional and internal developments.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/204573.aspx