Pope Francis’
visit to Egypt comforts the nation’s grieving Christians as he defiantly performs an open-air Mass to show his support amid the Islamic State’s recent rash of suicide bombing attacks on churches.
CAIRO — Pope Francis wrapped up a brief but deeply symbolic visit to Egypt on Saturday with an open-air Mass for the country’s tiny Catholic community, defying security concerns to show his support for the Christians of this Muslim majority Arab nation who have increasingly become targeted by Islamic militants.
Military helicopters flew overhead and police fanned out in force as Francis zoomed around the soccer stadium in suburban Cairo where Mass was held, using an open-topped golf cart and waving to members of the congregation.
The crowd cheered him wildly, waving Egyptian and Holy See flags and swaying to hymns sung by church choirs. The military-run stadium has a capacity of 25,000, but only about 15,000 people attended — a reminder that Catholics represent less than 1 percent of Egypt’s 92 million people.
But the relatively modest number and the draconian security did not dampen their jubilant mood. Francis engaged the crowd with waves and smiles, and gave his blessings to the children hoisted up by their parents.
In his homily, Francis urged them to be good and merciful to their fellow Egyptians, saying, “The only fanaticism believers can have is that of charity!”
It was a very pastoral message after Francis on his first day demanded that Muslim leaders renounce religious fanaticism that leads to violence. Francis made the appeal during a landmark visit to Cairo’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Islam learning that trains clerics and scholars from around the world.
Security was exceptionally tight around the stadium and in the upscale neighborhood where Francis spent the night, with uniformed and plainclothed plainclothes police stationed every meter (yard) or so along his motorcade route. Police used metal detectors to check vehicles for explosives and armed guards stood watch, some on rooftops, their faces covered.
But Francis decided to forgo the bullet-proof√ “popemobile” his predecessors used on foreign trips and drove through Cairo in a simple Fiat, his window rolled down.
“He is a messenger of peace, he is really a messenger of peace,” said attendee Amgad Eskandar before the Mass began at the stadium. “All his words talk about peace, call for peace, push for peace, which is great.”
The pope’s gestures — the simple Fiat and the open-topped golf cart — sent a defiant message to the extremist Islamic State group, whose local affiliate in Egypt has vowed to target Egypt’s Christians to punish them for their support of President AbdelFattah el-Sissi.
Recent attacks on churches have killed at least 75 people and injured scores.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the three attacks, carried out by suicide bombers, as well as one earlier this month that targeted a police checkpoint near the famed Saint St. Catherine’s monastery in central Sinai that killed a policeman officer.
The attacks led to heightened security at churches nationwide and the declaration by el-Sissi of a state of emergency.
Francis strongly backed the government’s crackdown on the extremists Friday, saying Egypt was uniquely placed to bring peace to the region and “vanquish all violence and terrorism.” El-Sissi has since 2013 Since 2013, elSissi has overseen a major crackdown against Islamists, jailing thousands along with hundreds of the activists behind the 2011√ uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Francis’ visit drew praise from Egyptian Catholics, who haven’t seen a pope in their land since St. John Paul II visited in 2000.
“I think he is a man of peace and I think he will be like John Paul II, he will be a saint,” said Mariam Fayek from the stadium grounds.
While Francis came to comfort the Christian community after the recent spate of attacks, he also had tough love for preachers. In a meeting, Francis urged them to stop complaining about their lot and lead their flocks with hope and dedication.