By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

Egypt’s foreign ministry has recalled its Vatican ambassador for “consultation” after Pope Benedict’s address to the diplomatic corps in which he called upon Muslim countries to do more to protect Christian minorities.

Reuters is reporting that the Egyptian ambassador to the Holy See was recalled to Cairo after the Pope delivered an impassioned call this week for an end to religious intolerance. In his remarks, he condemned recent attacks that killed dozens of Christians in Egypt, Iraq and Nigeria, saying Muslim governments need to do more to protect the Christian population.

“Egypt asked its ambassador in the Vatican to come to Cairo for consultation after the Vatican’s new statements that touch on Egyptian affairs and which Egypt considers an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki in a statement sent to Reuters. 

Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. Director of the Vatican Press Office, said that Egypt’s ambassador, Lamia Aly Hamada Mekhemar, met with the Vatican’s secretary for Relations with States. 

“During the meeting the ambassador, who is to return to Cairo for consultations with the Egyptian foreign ministry, described the concerns of her government at this present difficult time. She was also able to receive information and gather the elements necessary in order to report adequately on the Holy Father’s recent remarks concerning, in particular, religious freedom and the protection of Christians in the Middle East. 

“Highlighting how the Holy See shares the emotions of all the people of Egypt, struck by the attack in Alexandria, Archbishop Mamberti gave assurances that the it also fully shares the Egyptian government’s concern ‘to avoid the escalation of religiously motivated conflict and tensions’, and appreciates the efforts being made to that end.”

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