"This providential coincidence in its own way makes us feel like the Lord takes care of His Church. In that moment, the prayers for the election of the new Pope and the beginning of the ministry of the new Coptic Catholic Patriarch will merge and will stand together towards the Lord Almighty, who will make us all feel in union with Jesus, in universal communion that embraces the universal Church and is reflected in the Cardinals who have come to Rome from all over the world to take part in the Conclave in prayer, faith, hope and in the courage of the Holy Spirit. During the Mass in Cairo there will be some prayer intentions for the election of the new Pope. While I, at St. Peter's, will also pray for the Church in Egypt and the beginning of the patriarchal office of His Beatitude Ibrahim Sidrak. Now I will be united with all of them in prayer."

"Egypt is not Mali. It is at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. More than ten million Christians live there. Its economy is based on tourism and trade. This is why one cannot agree to allow it to become an Islamist Country. But there are also international strategies that project a division of Egypt."

"The main problem in Egypt today is political ignorance, for which everything ends up having a religious connotation. This is true both for Christians and for Muslims. We all need to mature politically."