Pope Francis in Egypt in push for 'fraternity'

Pope Francis landed in the Egyptian capital on April 28 to promote "unity and fraternity" with Muslims and Christians, who have suffered a series of jihadist attacks.

The visit is a "voyage of unity and fraternity," the pontiff told reporters before he disembarked in Cairo airport to be greeted by Catholic priests and Egyptian Prime Minister Sharif Ismail.

It is "less than two days but very intense," he said.

He was then taken by car to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in his Ittahidya presidential palace.
Francis will later meet Muslim and Christian leaders before visiting a church that had been bombed in December.

Security will be extremely tight with Egypt under a state of emergency following two bombings in Coptic churches earlier this month that killed 45 people.

Police and soldiers stood guard outside the Vatican residence in Cairo on April 28 and armored cars were stationed outside the Coptic Orthodox Saint Mark's Cathedral, which Francis will also visit.

Despite the dangers, Francis is expected to conduct most of his business in a normal vehicle and electric pope mobile-style golf carts.

"Please pray for my journey tomorrow as a pilgrim of peace to Egypt," Francis said on his Twitter account on the eve of his departure.

Francis will meet privately with the grand imam, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, an Islamic philosophy professor who visited the Vatican last year and is considered the highest religious authority in Sunni Islam.

He is then due to give a speech as a "simple participant" in an international conference for peace organized by Al-Azhar, a seat of learning for 1,000 years as well as a celebrated mosque.

Vatican dialogue with the Muslim world, a priority...