Pope John Paul II starts his first visit today to Egypt

Pope John Paul II of the Vatican starts his first visit to Egypt today, which will last for three days during which he will meet with President Mubarak, Pope Shenuda and Sheikh Mohammed Hassan Tantawi of Al Azhar.

Sources at Vatican embassy in Cairo said Pope John Paul II will start his program by visiting Pope Shenuda in his headquarters in Cairo at 6 o'clock tonight, to be followed by a visit to Sheikh Tantawi in his headquarters, then he will head a mass at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning in the covered sports hall in Cairo stadium which comprises 25,000 persons.

The sources stated that the pope will head to Saint Catherine Monastery, which is 1,500 years old, in Sinai for a special visit on Saturday, then he will leave Cairo at a late hour Saturday evening for Rome.