Patriarch Youssef I Absi, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem, has been appointed official representative of the Greek Catholic Church in Egypt, and granted Egyptian citizenship according to a presidential decree issued by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. Historically, all patriarchs of Alexandria have to have Egyptian citizenship.
Patriarch Absi arrived Egypt earlier this week on his first pastoral visit to Egypt since he was elected the new Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and All the East on 21 June 2017, succeeding Patriarch Gregory III Laham.
His stay in Egypt extends till 9 January, during which he should meet the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, as well as a number of political, Islamic and public figures.
Watani International
5 January 2018