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 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.