Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders Receives the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See to Discuss Strengthening Mutual Cooperation
His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, accompanied by Archbishop Nicolas Thevenin, the Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt.
During the meeting, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra conveyed greetings from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pope of the Catholic Church, to His Eminence the Grand Imam, expressing His Holiness's anticipation to meet him, wishing him continued health and well-being, and looking forward to ongoing cooperation with Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders in spreading the message of peace and fraternity to the entire world.
The Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See expressed his delight in meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and his appreciation for His Eminence's efforts in establishing values of global peace and human fraternity. He affirmed that the historic Document on Human Fraternity, signed by His Eminence with the late Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi, will remain etched in history forever, representing the convergence of religions in spreading values of goodness. He also confirmed that His Eminence's vision on current affairs aligns with that of Pope Leo XIV, underscoring the necessity of continued joint work for the benefit of humanity.
For his part, His Eminence the Grand Imam affirmed the depth of the relations connecting Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the Vatican, which were greatly strengthened during the era of the late Pope Francis. "From the first moment we met, we sensed his love for peace and his commitment to dialogue. We have also sensed the same in His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the Pontiff of the Catholic Church, through our phone conversation, his words, and his stances toward the oppressed. We look forward to continuing cooperation between Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the Vatican to spread the message of peace, fraternity, and dialogue among all."
At the end of the meeting, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar requested that the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Vatican convey His Eminence's invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Al-Azhar.