Pope Francis says Egypt trip ‘journey of unity and fraternity’

'This meeting will be an example and a model for peace precisely because it will be a meeting of dialogue.'

Pope Francis waves to the press as he is welcomed by Alitalia’s personnel prior his flight to Egypt, on April 28, 2017 at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. Pope Francis heads for a two-day visit in Egypt for talks with the grand imam of the capital’s famed Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, but also to show solidarity with Coptic Christians targeted by violence in Egypt. / AFP PHOTO / Tiziana FABI

Pope Francis said his first visit to Egypt was a “journey of unity and fraternity” as he landed in Cairo on Friday in a push for religious tolerance.

“It’s a journey of unity and fraternity. Less than two days but very intense,” he said on the plane before disembarking.

“This meeting will be an example and a model for peace precisely because it will be a meeting of dialogue,” he said, apparently referring to meeting grand imam Ahmed al-Tayeb.

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