Wednesday, May 10, 2023 – Feast Day of St. Damien of Molokai
In the next several hours I have my live radio show with Teresa Tomeo on Catholic Connection, interviews out of the office for my weekend radio show, “Vatican Insider,” and a parish council meeting. I thus sincerely doubt there will be time for a decent blog today, a great moment in the Vatican. So just my translation of the papal remarks (I have translated into English the Italian translation of Tawadros’ words in Arabic but have no time to summarize them) and this link to the Vatican news story with some of Pope Tawadros’ words: Coptic Pope addresses pilgrims at General Audience with Pope Francis – Vatican News
I have been following the historic general audience today at which there were two popes present, Pope Francis and Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II. They have known each other for 10 years and communicate frequently but this is the first time ever the head of another Church has spoken at a general audience.
Normally the Vatican News website features the video of the entire weekly audience but, as I wrote these words, that is not up yet. You might want to check back occasionally at vaticannews.va
TWO POPES, A ROMAN CATHOLIC AND COPTIC ORTHODOX, SPEAK AT WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE
Pope Francis, arriving at the dais after circling St. Peter’s Square in the jeep in the rain, greeted everyone present: “Brothers and sisters!” he began. “It is with great joy today that I greet His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of San Marco, and the illustrious delegation accompanying him. (Vatican media)
“His Holiness Tawadros has accepted my invitation to come to Rome to celebrate with me the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting of Pope St. Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III, in 1973. It was the first meeting between a Bishop of Rome and a Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church and culminated in the signing of a memorable common Christological declaration, exactly on May 10th.
“In memory of this event, His Holiness Tawadros came to see me
for the first time on May 10 ten years ago, a few months after his and my election, and he proposed we celebrate every May 10th as “Coptic-Catholic Friendship Day” which we have been celebrating every year since.
“We call each other on the phone, we send each other greetings, and we remain good brothers, we’ve never argued!
“Dear friend and brother Tawadros, Thank you for having accepted my invitation in this double anniversary. I pray that the light of the Holy Spirit illuminate your visit to Rome, the important meetings you will have here, and especially our personal conversations. I sincerely thank you for the His commitment to the growing friendship between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.
“Your Holiness, dear Bishops and friends, together with you I implore Almighty God for the intercession of the Saints and Martyrs of the Coptic Church, to help us grow in communion, in one and holy bond of faith, hope and Christian love. And speaking of martyrs of the Coptic Church – who are ours too – I want to remember the martyrs on the Libyan beach, who were made martyrs a few years ago.
“I ask all present to pray to God to bless Pope Tawadros’ visit to Rome and protect the entire Coptic Orthodox Church. May this visit bring us quicker to the day blessed when we are one in Christ! Thank you!”
Joan's Rome 