What can Pope Francis achieve in Egypt?
Pontiff says his trip to Egypt where Orthodox Christians are increasingly targeted is journey of “unity and fraternity”.
The visit by Pope Francis to Egypt is being seen as an opportunity to promote better relations between Christians and Muslims.
Orthodox Egyptian Christians, known as Copts, are worried about increasing violence after several attacks on churches.
The Palm Sunday bombings of two Coptic Christian churches left 45 people dead. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
About 10 percent of Egypt’s population is Christian.
Can the pope’s trip foster a closer relationship between the religions and help end the violence?
Presenter: Jane Dutton
Guests:
Timothy Kaldas – a non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
Father Bernardo Cervellera – editor of Asia News, a press agency of the Roman Catholic Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions
Mohamad Elmasry – associate professor of media and cultural studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies