Pope Tawadros receives Macron, his wife at Coptic Cathedral in Abbassiya

CAIRO, Jan 29 (MENA) - Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark Diocese on Tuesday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife along with his accompanying delegation during a visit to the St. Mark Cathedral in Cairo's Abbassiya district.

Relations between Egypt and France are strong at the cultural, educational, economic and political levels, he said, adding that he welcomes the French president on the land of Egypt which was blessed by the visit of the Holy Family.

Egypt is rich with its ancient civilization of all its Pharaonic, Christian, Islamic, African and Arab manifestations, he added.

Pope Tawadros II said, while receiving visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, that the Egyptian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest churches in the world as it was established during the first century AD in Alexandria which hosts multiple civilizations and cultures.

He noted that Egypt is now implementing an ambitious plan for sustainable development in order to guarantee a bright future for the coming generations.

He also expressed pride for inaugurating a few weeks ago a new mosque and cathedral in the New Administrative Capital as an expression of the spirit of the new age in Egypt and as an evidence of the strong political will to accomplish more achievements and implement more national projects.