Vatican releases important information on a possible papal visit to Egypt

Will Pope Francis visit Cairo?

The Vatican released a statement on Saturday concerning Pope Francis, a papal visit and Egypt.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirmed they are considering a papal visit to Egypt but has yet to finalize the details.

It is unknown when Pope Francis will visit the country, and no itinerary has been made.

Burke's announcement was made following Italy's state-run RAI reported the Pontiff would visit Cairo's Al-Azhar, the leading center of learning of Sunni Islam.

The RAI claimed the Pope would be there May 20 and 21, prompting the clarification from the Vatican.

Currently, Vatican and Al-Azhar relations with the Cairo Institute have been restored after a protest against then-Pope Benedict XVI's comments occurred in 2011 and severed relations.

In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI had demanded greater protection for Egypt's Christians following a New Year's bombing of a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria, which killed 21 people.

Since the 2011 bombing, Coptic Christians were attacked with greater intensity, with many of the attacks making national headlines.

Nevertheless, the Vatican and Al-Azhar wanted to rekindle ties, perhaps to better influence the country and help the persecuted Christians there.

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