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Father Garas, who also teaches at St. Leo the Great major seminary at Maadi, said: "Catholics, a tiny minority of 200,000 among 60 million Egyptians, are overjoyed. Several of those I have spoken with could hardly hold back the tears. And many want to come from Upper Egypt, a thousand miles away, ready to undertake a 12-hour train journey to witness this great event." The priest also said the authorities at Al Azhar University, an influential center for Islamic intellectuals, "welcome the Pope's visit, showing great Islamic tolerance." The question of tolerance is high on the agenda for the Cairo authorities after the bloody clashes between Christians and Muslims in which 20 Coptic Christians were killed at el-Kosheh earlier this month. This will be Pope's first visit to Egypt. "It is a pity he cannot stay longer," said Father Ibrahim Isak Sedrach, the rector of St. Leo the Great seminary. This is an historic event: a Muslim country where Christians are mostly Orthodox, will welcome a Catholic Pope. For our youngsters it will be a joy and an encouragement." 
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January 21-23, 2000 volume 11, no. 15 NEWS & VIEWS
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