During the general audience, Pope Francis said the 1973 encounter was “the first meeting between a bishop of Rome and a patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, which culminated in the signing of a memorable joint Christological declaration, exactly on May 10.”
“In memory of this event, His Holiness Tawadros visited me for the first time on May 10, 10 years ago, a few months after his and my election, and proposed to celebrate every May 10 as the ‘Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship,’ which we have been celebrating since that time every year,” he said.
“We call each other on the phone, send greetings, and remain good brothers, we have not quarreled,” Pope Francis added.
Tawadros II, 70, is the 118th pope of Alexandria and patriarch of the See of St. Mark, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. There are an estimated 10 million Coptic Orthodox Christians in the world, roughly 90% of whom live in Egypt.
While in Rome, Tawadros II will also have a private meeting with Pope Francis, celebrate a liturgy at the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, and visit the local Coptic Orthodox community.
Pope Francis thanked the religious leader for accepting his invitation to visit Rome and the Vatican for the anniversary.