Pope arrives in Egypt for historic visit

President Mubarak greeted Pope John Paul II at the start of the papal visit to Egypt

February 24, 2000
Web posted at: 8:11 a.m. EST (1311 GMT)

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CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Pope John Paul II arrived at Cairo International Airport on Thursday, where he was greeted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the start of a historic first papal visit to the ancient Arab nation.

The pope's Egyptian trip also marks the start of a millennial pilgrimage to lands of the Bible.

Observers say the aging pontiff's visit may help heal some longstanding religious rifts in the Middle East.

It is the first time any Roman Catholic pope has visited Egypt, the land where scholars say the family of Jesus sought refuge during the massacre of children by King Herod, as recounted in the New Testament.

MESSAGE BOARD Religion today    VIDEO CNN's Jane Arraf looks at why the Pope will not be visiting Iraq. QuickTime Play Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K CNN's Ben Wedeman provides an overview of the pontiff's ambitious agenda during his trip to the region. QuickTime Play Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

The 79-year-old John Paul plans to meet with the head of Al-Azhar University, one of Islam's oldest centers of scholarship. He also plans to renew ties with the Coptic Church, the Christian church that broke away from Rome more than 1,500 years ago.

Al-Azhar spokesman Sheik Fawzy Al-Zifzaf said the pope is welcome at the institution.

"His visit is proof of the constructive dialogue between the leaders of these two great religions," he said.

Coptic writer Milad Hanna said the papal visit could also help bridge the divide between Islam and Christianity that has endured since medieval popes launched the Crusades, between the 11th and 13th centuries.

"His mission here is to make a type of apology to Islam because of the Crusades -- therefore, let us forget about the Crusades and let us build new bridges and new relations with Islam," Hanna said, referring to the attempts by Christian armies to regain control of Jerusalem and other holy sites from Muslims.

Egyptians prepare for Pope John Paul II's visit

The Coptic Church claims 6 million followers in Egypt, making it the largest Christian denomination in the Middle East. The Copts trace their church's origins to the apostle Mark in the first century.

"I believe the significance of his visit is that it deepens the ties between the East and West, and puts an end to the deep misunderstanding between East and West," Coptic Bishop Jean Koltta said.

The pope's three-day pilgrimage also includes a visit to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine, at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments.

In March, John Paul plans to visit holy sites in Jordan and Israel and in areas under Palestinian control.

John Paul had planned to visit Iraq's small Christian community and view the ruins of Ur, the historical birthplace of Abraham -- the patriarch of the region's three major religions. But the visit was scrapped in December, when Iraq told the Vatican it could not guarantee the pontiff's safety.

The ancient city is difficult to reach under the best of circumstances, and Iraq's deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, said U.N. restrictions on flights over much of the country make it more difficult. Aziz also blamed the threat of terrorism "financed by our enemies."

Instead, on Wednesday John Paul held a special service in the Vatican representing a spiritual journey to Ur, located about four hours south of Baghdad. Christians make up about 3 percent of Iraq's population, including Aziz.

Christians in Baghdad held a similar Mass on Wednesday to show their solidarity with the pope.

"He is now making the pilgrimage in spirit," Patriarch Raphael Bidawid said. "It is enough for him, but always wanting to come, he is wishing to come at any cost."

Cairo Bureau Chief Ben Wedeman and Correspondent Jane Arraf contributed to this report.

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Al-Azhar University of Gaza
Vatican: the Holy See
Egypt Information Highway
Egypt Government Online
The Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt

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