Pope Francis hasn’t wasted any time getting down to business with world and church leaders. Tawadros II, elected in 2012 as head of the Coptic Orthodox Church made a visit to Rome to speak and pray with Pope Francis.
Why is that important to us at the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land? Because they are talking about peace and unity among Christians. And if there is to be a safeguarding of the Christian presence in the Holy Land, whether it be Catholic, Coptic, Greek, Armenian or any other Christian group, there is going to have to be unity. Jesus himself said that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
So we take hope from this meeting. This historic visit, the first in 40 years, is yet another sign that the Holy Spirit desires that we be in word and deed, one in faith and one in baptism. May our unity help us to maintain the Christian presence in the Holy Land.