Chaldean Patriarch Sako meets with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb

CAIRO — In a gesture of interreligious coexistence and to combat racism and sectarianism, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and head of the Chaldean Catholic Church Louis Raphaël I Sako visited Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and former president of Al-Azhar University Ahmed el-Tayeb in Cairo, Egypt.

After an initial welcome meeting, the Patriarch thanked Sheikh el-Tayebal-tayyib and praised his open-minded attitude. Patriarch Sako noted the importance of understanding and tolerance in religious education. All human beings are brothers in humanity, said the Patriarch, recalling the document of Abu Dhabi signed by Pope Francis and Shiekh el-Tayeb. The document should be adopted as a road map for mutual respect and the entrenchment of common living, he added.

Shiekh el-Tayeb emphasized that Al-Azhar will continue to stand up to extremism and destructive ideologies, combating the negative thoughts and meanings they seek to inflict on societies to divide religious communities, especially Muslims and Christians.

Al-Azhar will continue to pursue a social formulation based on equal citizenship and rights, he said.

The Patriarch expressed his pleasure with the meeting and indicated that Iraqis from all backgrounds eagerly await a visit from Sheikh el-Tayeb.