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- Dubai 04:26 05:44 12:20 15:47 18:50 20:08
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gergash offered condolences to Rev. Ishaq Al-Anba Bishoy, pastor of Al Anba Antonio Cathedral Church in Abu Dhabi for the victims of the blast which took place in Alexandria, Egypt last Saturday.
During a visit to the church in Abu Dhabi accompanied by Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments (GAIAE) Dr Hamdan Musallam Al-Mazrouei, senior officials from the foreign ministry and the Egyptian ambassador to the UAE Tamer Mansour, Gergash expressed his best wishes of speedy recovery for the injured.
The Minister reiterated the UAE's strong condemnation of the brutal terror act which targeted the Church of the Two Saints killing and injuring dozens of people.
He further praised the Egyptian national unity against this criminal act which is rejected by all heavenly religions.
For his part, Al-Anba Bishoy, on behalf of Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and Archbishop Anba Abraham, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Gulf and Near East, expressed gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, H.H Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs for offering condolences over the church blast and for their efforts to promote the values of tolerance and rapprochement and dialogue among followers of all religions.
He noted that Copts and Christians in the UAE enjoy the freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites.
The Coptic pastor further said this policy which was founded by the late founding father of the UAE Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan has become a model for peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
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