Saudi crown prince on landmark visit to Cairo cathedral

[Right_in_Virginia]

Saudi crown prince on landmark visit to Cairo cathedral
Gulf News/Egypt, Mar 6, 2018

Cairo: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman visited the main Orthodox cathedral in Cairo on Sunday evening, the first by a senior Saudi official in a fresh sign of openness by the kingdom’s leaders.

The 32-year-old heir apparent is credited with introducing major changes in Saudi Arabia since his appointment last June.

Mohammad was welcomed at the cathedral in the Cairo district of Abbasiya by head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Tawadros II.

After the 20-minute meeting, Tawadros II said that the Saudi crown prince invited him to visit the kingdom.

Mohammad’s visit to the cathedral, the seat of the Coptic pope, drew praise in Egypt where Christians make up around 10 per cent of its population of nearly 95 million.

“The meeting emphasizes values of religious tolerance and cordiality between Egyptians and their Saudi brothers,” said spokesman for the Coptic Church Boulis Halim.

“The visit also aims at boosting bonds between Saudi Arabia and the Coptic Church,” he added.


More: http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/egypt/saudi-crown-prince-on-landmark-visit-to-cairo-cathedral-1.2183244

[Right_in_Virginia]

Saudi crown prince visits Cairo Coptic cathedral, meets pope
Reuters, Mar 5, 2018, Staff

CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Coptic Pope Tawadros II at Cairo’s largest Coptic cathedral on Monday in what state media said was an unprecedented visit by an official from the conservative Muslim kingdom.

The visit was part of a three-day stay in Egypt for Prince Mohammed, his first public trip abroad since he became heir apparent last year. He will head for Britain and the United States later this month.

Cairo and Riyadh have strengthened ties in recent years and Egypt has received billions of dollars in aid from its rich Gulf Arab ally. The two countries on Sunday set up a $10 billion joint fund to develop a planned mega-city.

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The Gulf Arab kingdom is trying to shed its reputation as a global exporter of an ultra-conservative brand of Islam which critics say has inspired Islamist militants worldwide. Promoting a more moderate form of Islam is one of the more ambitious promises made by Prince Mohammed under plans to transform Saudi and reduce its reliance on oil.


More: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-egypt-christians/saudi-crown-prince-visits-cairo-coptic-cathedral-meets-pope-idUSKBN1GH2R6

[Right_in_Virginia]

I really hope he has top notch security.  He seems like a genuine agent of change.

[Fishrrman]

Right wrote:
"He seems like a genuine agent of change."

I think it's carefully-acted taqiyya....

[Right_in_Virginia]

Right wrote:
"He seems like a genuine agent of change."

I think it's carefully-acted taqiyya....

I'm a little more optimistic (or hopeful) @Fishrrman

Here's a link to the Crown Prince's "Saudi Vision 2030"   He's looking to usher in a new era in the Kingdom ....

http://vision2030.gov.sa/en