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Pope to Meet Cairo’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

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Pope to Meet Cairo’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis will meet the Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar, Ahmed al Tayyeb, at the Vatican.

In an unexpected briefing in the Holy See Press Office on Thursday, Fr. Federico Lombardi, the press office director, told journalists present, “€œAn audience between the Pope and the Imam of Al-Azhar is being prepared for Monday,”€ and noted that the visit’s schedule was still being defined.

Such an encounter between the Pope and the Imam of Al-Azhar, who many Muslims consider to be the highest authority in Sunni Islam, Fr. Lombardi noted, “is a first.

The Imam of Al-Azhar heads Egypt”€™s Al-Azhar Mosque and Al-Azhar University, which the Vatican spokesman noted, is considered to be “€œthe most authoritative theological-academic institution of Sunni Islam.”€

There has been speculation this official visit would take place since February after a Vatican delegation visited Al-Azhar university and expressed the Holy See”€™s willingness to welcome the Grand Imam for a meeting with Pope Francis.

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On the NET:

English website of Al-Azhar University: http://www.azhar.edu.eg/En/u.htm

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