Pope leaves Egypt after 2-day visit
CAIRO — Pope Francis left Egypt charmed Saturday after a two-day visit during which he embraced Muslim leaders and challenged religious extremists.
“Everyone was really touched with his sincerity,” Vivian Gobran of Cairo said after attending a Mass that Francis celebrated at the suburban Air Defense Stadium Saturday. “He brought his blessing to Egypt.”
More than 20,000 people flocked to the stadium, including Christians from Egypt and migrants from Brazil, Ethiopia, Sudan, Venezuela and the Philippines.
Francis entered the stadium to applause as a fleet of balloons of yellow and white — the Vatican colors — was released and a choir sang “Gloria.”
Martin Ermano held a golden cross aloft as the pope arrived.
“I wasn’t afraid to come to the Mass. I knew it would be good security,” said Ermano, a South Sudan native working as a Catholic missionary. “I hope the pope can establish peace, security and unity among Muslims and Christians.”
The Mass was conducted in Latin, Italian and Arabic with some chants in Coptic. Children in historical Egyptian costumes lined up in front of a makeshift altar in the grass.
Ellie Monsivais moved to Egypt six months ago from Mexico, and missed the pope’s visit there. She said his visit to Egypt was more important because of recent attacks on churches in Egypt.
“He came at a critical time in Egyptian history,” she said.
Soldiers patrolled outside the stadium, tanks parked on a nearby hillside and military helicopters circled overhead. But the mood remained festive, with songs and chants filling the air.
“Even without entering, by the sound of the music you can feel the joy,” said the Rev. Raymond Tumba, a Nigerian priest studying Arabic in Cairo, as he made his way into the stadium. “Wherever he goes, he spreads the message of peace.”
Like many in the crowd, James Bolden picked up a free white Pope Francis cap and scarf featuring “Pope of peace in Egypt of peace” logos from the visit.
James Bolden, a refugee from South Sudan who teaches fellow refugees at a Catholic school in Cairo, called Francis “the pope of refugees.”
“He supports peace so conflicts don’t happen that create refugees,” he said.
Worshipers were unafraid despite the suicide bombings at Christian churches on Palm Sunday that killed 47 people in two Egyptian cities.
Maria Cormack said the pope set an example by refusing to cancel his visit after the church bombings.
“It’s showing us the courage we need to stand against people trying to make us afraid,” she said.
Cormack moved to Cairo 11 years ago and brought a sign to Mass for her troubled native land: “Pray for Venezuela.”
“I feel safer here than in Venezuela now,” she said.
During his visit, Francis managed the delicate balance of embracing Islam while condemning Islamic extremists in the Muslim majority country. Christians are Egypt’s largest religious minority, comprising 10 percent of the total 92 million population, and this year they have been targeted by Islamic State, chased from their homes, their churches bombed.