Holy Father Pope Francis met Sheikh Ahmed Muhammed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, who is in Rome to attend a conference organized by the St Egidio community. The meeting marked the second trip to the Vatican in two years by Egypt’s top Muslim leader and his first meeting with the Pope in May 2016, had marked an important step forward after five years os suspended dialogue between the Holy See and the prestigious Al-Azhar University.
As reported by Vatican radio, Holy Father Pope Francis, during his two-day visit to Egypt in April, 2017, urged the religious leaders to denounce violations of human rights and expose attempts to justify violence and hatred in the name of God.
His Holiness Pope Francis had also appealed for respectful interreligious dialogue and highlighted that the only alternative to a culture of civilized encounter is “the incivility of conflict.”
