PHOTOS: Pope Francis carries the message of peace, unity to Egypt

Baxtiyar Goran 2017/04/29 14:35

Pope Francis made an official visit to Egypt on Friday, hoping to mend ties with the country’s Islamic religious leaders.

middle east Egypt Pope Francis

CAIRO, Egypt (Kurdistan24) – Pope Francis made an official visit to Egypt on Friday, hoping to mend ties with the country’s Islamic religious leaders as Egypt’s Christians have recently been the target of extremist groups.

Pope Francis's trip, aimed at improving the ties between Christian and Muslim communities in Egypt, happened three weeks after the Islamic State (IS) suicide attacks that killed at least 45 people in two Egyptian churches.

Francis told reporters traveling on his plane that he was carrying a message of peace and unity in his Egypt visit and encouraged dialogue and reconciliation with the Islamic world.

Editing by Ava Homa

Pope Francis surrounded by security in the Air Defense Stadium (Photo: AFP)

Worshippers dressed like Ancient Egyptians were in the stadium for the Pope's address (Photo: AFP)

The Pope’s visit of Egypt is to give support to the country's Christian minority and promote dialogue with Islamic religious leaders. (Photo: AFP)

Pope Francis (third left) and Pope Tawadros II (fourth left), spiritual leader of Egypt's Orthodox Christians at a Cairo church. (Photo: AFP)

Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II both attended a mass at the church targeted by a suicide attack in December 2016. (Photo: AFP)

In the stadium some waved Egyptian flags and released balloons the color of the Vatican flag. (Photo: AFP)

“The 80-year-old pope's visit comes 17 years after Pope John Paul II made a trip to the Arab world's most populous nation.” (Photo: AFP)

Worshippers, old and young, had been bused to the stadium under tight security in Cairo. (Photo: AFP)

Security forces patrol the area where Pope Francis celebrated Mass for Egypt's tiny Catholic community. (Photo: AFP)