Egypt Daily News – Polish President Andrzej Duda, received Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, along with his accompanying delegation, today, Monday, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. This meeting was part of Pope Tawadros’s current tour in the Diocese of Central Europe, which began on Friday with his visit to Poland.
President Duda welcomed Pope Tawadros II, expressing his happiness with the meeting, which he described as a “meeting of returned love” following his visit to Egypt in May 2022 and his meeting with Pope Tawadros at the Papal residence in Cairo.
The Polish President emphasized the deep place that Egypt holds in the hearts of Poles, saying, “Egypt has a long history, and its Coptic Orthodox Church has a great spiritual legacy. Poland embraced Christianity nearly 1000 years ago, with Christianity entering our land in the 10th century.”
President Duda also expressed his appreciation for the presence of Copts in Poland and their pastoral work in an atmosphere of calm and peace, noting that Poland is one of the most religiously devout countries in Europe, rich in both open and closed monasteries.
For his part, Pope Tawadros II expressed his deep gratitude for the warm welcome, saying, “I am pleased to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to visit your beautiful country, Poland, a land with a great history, wise leadership, and a strong people who are proud of their history and work hard for their future.”
The Pope also referred to President Duda’s words during their meeting in Cairo, that Egypt was a sanctuary for the Holy Family. Therefore, the presence of Copts there for thousands of years is important for the Christian faith. He commented, “We carry these words in our hearts and are happy to be in a land full of life and historical beauty.”
Pope Tawadros gave an overview of the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church, noting that it is an ancient church that dates back around two thousand years, founded in Alexandria by Saint Mark the Evangelist.
Pope Tawadros expressed his appreciation for the support received by Egyptians, including Copts, from the Polish state, praising the efforts made to support the emerging Coptic Church there and its service under the guidance of Bishop Giovanni. He also invited President Duda to visit Egypt again, welcoming him to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
At the end of the meeting, commemorative gifts were exchanged between the Polish President and Pope Tawadros II.
