The situation in Egypt

In a few days' time (on Friday, April 28, 2017), Pope Francis will leave Rome and travel to Cairo (Egypt).  The invitation for this Apostolic Visit came from Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Roman Catholic Bishops, Tawadros II (leader of the Coptic Orthodox church of Alexandria) and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (Grand Imam of Al Azhar mosque).

Pope Francis' visit comes on the heels of deadly attacks on Christians celebrating Palm Sunday Mass. The coordinated bombings--carried out by ISIS--killed 45 people in two cities. In Cairo, Francis will address the International Peace Conference and visit with Tawadros II. He will celebrate a Mass and meet with the country's bishops the following day. What does Francis hope to accomplish in Egypt?

What do the minority Christian communities expect from Francis? Is there a danger of another attack during the visit? Can Francis bring hope for peace in a country battling radical Islamists while struggling to build a stable democracy? Carl Hétu, Director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in Canada, sat with Sebastian Gomes to discuss the current political and social landscape and to look ahead to Pope Francis' historic visit.