Italian FM praises Egypt’s Coptic Pope for role in spreading the message of tolerance

Pope Francis (C) and Ecumenic Patriarch of the Orthodox Church Bartolomeo I (L) watch as Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II releases a dove after a meeting with other religious leaders at the Pontifical Basilica of St Nicholas in Bari, in the Apulia region in southern Italy, on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Milanesi praised Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II for his role in spreading the message of tolerance, state-owned Ahram Online reported on Monday.

“There is no doubt that your role in spreading a message of love and tolerance and rejecting violence has a major impact on the stability and peaceful coexistence between all beliefs,” Milanesi told Tawadros who headed mass on Sunday in one of Italy’s largest Catholic churches, the Basilica of Saint Paul in Rome.

The Coptic Pope arrived in Italy on Friday to take part in “The day of prayers” on Saturday in Italy’s Bari that was called for by Catholic Pope Francis.

Church leaders from across the world were also attending.