2018 to witness start of Catholic pilgrimage to Egypt: OPR Head

CAIRO – 4 January 2018: Italian media outlets highlighted the visit of Vatican affiliate Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi’s (ORP) delegation to Egypt last December in which they surveyed the places that should be recognized in the international pilgrimage program in Egypt.

Head of ORP, Remo Chiavarini, told Italian-SIR radio which is affiliated to the Vatican that the foundation will include Egypt – starting 2018 - in the international program.

“Egypt will have two different programs, the first will be a historical one from Aswan to Cairo governorates, and the second will target the places where Virgin Mary and Jesus passed,” Chiavarini stated.

According to Italian media outlets, Egypt’s pilgrimage program will be supervised by the Vatican as both Egyptian and Italian official entities are highly invested in it. Egypt’s Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed expressed his optimism regarding Italian coverage for the ORP visit to Egypt, and the good image that was highlighted by them to the country.

Several Italian newspapers affirmed that the New Year will witness the implementation of the Egyptian pilgrimage program which will help enhance dialogue between cultures and religions.

Last December, the ORP delegation headed by Chiavarini, visited Egypt and met with several religious officials including Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb, and Pope Tawadros II.

They also visited several places including the Pyramids, Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum.

Pope Tawadros and Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb underscored the support and efforts exerted by the Ministry of Tourism to revive the Holy Family's journey, which was blessed by the Vatican and Pope Francis.

Egypt’s top religious leaders, Tawadros and Tayyeb, also stressed the good relations between the Catholic Church in the Vatican and the Egyptian Coptic Church.

Earlier in December 2017, Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed paid a three-day visit to Vatican City, during which he met with Roman Catholic Pope Francis, who blessed the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt as an official Christian pilgrimage.

After Pope Francis’s decision to bless the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt, they agreed to organize the first official Christian pilgrimage in May 2018.