Middle East and North Africa's Catholics believe new pope will be crucial to Church's future

Approaching nan residence of nan Roman Catholic Bishop of Egypt successful nan upmarket Cairo suburb of Heliopolis, a achromatic fume seemed to emergence from nan plot into nan city’s haze.

However, nan sound of chromatic masonry devices emanating from down nan gross soon clarified that it was conscionable particulate coming from a saw cutting paving stones for nan renewal of nan residence’s expansive and well-tended gardens.

Later connected Wednesday, arsenic nan eyes of nan world’s 1.4 cardinal Catholics – and those of galore others – were fixated connected St Peter’s Square, nan infamous achromatic fume roseate from nan chimney. No campaigner had secured nan basal two-thirds majority. Over to information two.

Back successful Cairo, Monsignor Claudio Lurati, Bishop of nan Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria, which serves arsenic nan superior jurisdiction for Roman Catholics successful Egypt, seemed to bask nan process from afar. “It is wholly unpredictable,” he smiles.

The region that encompasses nan Middle East and North Africa is location to only astir 1% of nan world’s Catholics, but maintains an integral domiciled some spiritually and politically for nan Church, not slightest arsenic it encompasses nan Holy Land. It is besides location to 7 different denominations of Catholics, arsenic good arsenic galore different non-Catholic communities.

Speaking to Euronews distant from nan Cairene power successful nan shadiness of his residence, Monsignor Lurati reasoned that this conclave could return days.

“We don't spot really clear parties. So this whitethorn make nan process long. People mightiness beryllium freer to travel their conscience and what I judge nan Holy Spirit will animate them to do,” he told Euronews.

“They besides request immoderate basal clip to cognize each other,” he adds. This is nan first clip that galore of nan 133 cardinals from 70 countries astatine nan conclave person met successful person, of whom 108 were appointed by nan precocious Pope Francis.

This has led to sometimes unusual scenes of perplexed cardinals being hounded by nan microphones and cameras of nan world media astir Rome and wrong Vatican City.

‘Very warm’: Remembering Francis from nan Middle East

The fanfare astir nan predetermination of a caller pope has not eclipsed nan representation of nan revolutionary and, for some, arguable papacy of Pope Francis, particularly successful nan Middle East.

“I deliberation Pope Francis’ pontificate will beryllium fondly remembered successful Islamic-Christian relations for nan praxis of interreligious dialogue,” explains Father Michael O’Sullivan.

Father Michael has worked crossed nan region for decades, including arsenic rector of Notre Dame D’Afrique, an imposing basilica jetting retired from nan Algerian superior into nan Mediterranean, and arsenic head of nan Maison D’Abraham interfaith centre successful Jerusalem.

More recently, he coordinated nan precocious pontiff’s historical sojourn to nan UAE, helping organise a Mass garnering 180,000 worshippers.

Francis co-signed nan historical Abu Dhabi declaration connected interfaith practice pinch Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, nan Grand Imam of Al-Azhar successful Cairo — wide considered to beryllium nan highest authority successful Sunni Islamic thought and jurisprudence.

In an question and reply pinch Euronews from his location successful Ireland, Father Michael reiterated that “relations betwixt (the region) and nan Holy Father were very warm.”

However, he admitted that this “was not without immoderate controversy”.

The much blimpish among nan clergy questioned immoderate elements of nan Abu Dhabi agreement, Father Michael said. “There's almost a Quranic quotation successful this papal declaration, which I suppose conservatives successful nan Catholic Church weren’t happy about.”

Looking east, looking west

For Catholics successful nan region, nan chance to elite a caller pope seems to beryllium a roadworthy to Damascus for nan Church.

A fewer 100 metres down Beirut Street, distant from nan Roman Catholic residence, lies nan Melkite St Cyril Church. The first religion to beryllium erected successful nan area, erstwhile it was built successful 1910, it now lies down precocious walls.

Two bored-looking constabulary officers nonchalantly fiddled pinch their instrumentality guns outside, a motion to nan bid of religion bombings successful nan past 10 years that are still lodged successful Egyptian Christians’ psyche.

Inside sits Father Rafic Abouna, nan Church’s leader for complete 3 decades, and nan erstwhile spokesperson for nan Vatican successful Egypt. The room was dark, only lit by dappled sunlight.

“It’s nan time of nan conclave and they trim nan electricity,” he laughs.

After a little yet animated chat astir nan correct usage of religion titles, Father Rafic quickly sets retired to authorities what he hopes will beryllium maintained from Pope Francis’ papacy and what he hopes will not.

He praises nan precocious pontiff’s dedication to protecting refugees, whose tenure oversaw nan emergence of extremist Islamist authorities and coercion successful nan region, forcing a activity of refugees – including hundreds of thousands of Christians – to fly their homes, often heading west.

In Egypt, nan interregnum betwixt erstwhile President Hosni Mubarak and nan incumbent Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was marred, successful Father Rafic and Monsignor Lurati’s eyes, by instability and threat caused by nan little norm of nan Muslim Brotherhood.

“At slightest 100,000 Christians that I cognize of fled,” Rafic claims, adding that they were mostly from nan “elites” and were now “returning” to what they spot arsenic a much unchangeable nation.

The Melkite leader lamented Western countries’ progressively dispute policies toward migrants, and singled retired US vice president and Catholic person JD Vance’s caller sojourn pinch Pope Francis, a fierce and outspoken professional of nan US administration, whose migration policies he described arsenic “an disfigured point … a disgrace”.

“I don’t deliberation JD is simply a bully typical for Christianity,” he tells Euronews, adding that he thought nan pope looked very unimpressed pinch nan visit. The pope died a time later.

However, Vance wasn’t nan only elder US leader successful his sights. “Biden was conscionable arsenic bad,” he exclaims. “Any Catholic who tin judge abortion is not a existent Catholic,” he exclaimed.

This points to a wider sticking constituent for Father Rafic and galore different Christians successful nan region. Some of nan religious judge that Christians successful nan Middle East and North Africa thin to beryllium much blimpish compared to what nan Church now extols arsenic its values, particularly during Pope Francis’ reign.

Meanwhile, others would for illustration a much progressive pontiff, who would proceed what they opportunity is much-needed betterment that Pope Francis took on.

Father Rafic hits backmost astatine immoderate “political” explanation of nan church. “I would not usage nan position wide aliases conservative. It’s a mobility of civilized discipline”.

However, he suggests that “two forces influenced Pope Francis,” pressuring him into a much integrated societal argumentation connected issues of gender and intersexual identity, namely nan progressively wide German Catholic Church and erstwhile Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

“They were very bully friends, he was ever successful Rome,” Rafic says of nan latter. “Insiders cognize he was important successful Pope Francis’ determination to bless same-sex couples”.

The papal decree led to an unprecedented contestation of papal authority from dioceses worldwide, notably successful nan Middle East.

Monsignor Lurati disagrees. “I deliberation he did play a large domiciled successful bringing guardant and speeding up a process that was already taking place. The 1 of making nan Church really cosmopolitan and international.”

“It was already happening. But decidedly he sped up nan process.”

Focusing connected nan incoming pope, however, Father Rafic was assured that “all of these societal issues will spell away.”

‘Boiling point’: A region astatine war

The incoming pontiff will person galore issues connected his sheet from astir nan world, but conflicts successful nan Middle East and North Africa whitethorn good predominate his duties.

The conflict successful Lebanon, which is location to nan highest percent of Christians successful nan region, remains connected separator pinch nan Hezbollah militia refusing to springiness up its arms and Israel continuing to strike.

While Father Michael hoped that Hezbollah and Iran's “clipped wings” mightiness thief bring stability, he thought parts of nan region were still astatine “boiling point”.

In neighbouring Syria, caller months person seen unit afflict various communities. While Christians person been spared truthful far, Father Rafic – whose Melkite denomination is rooted successful Lebanon and Syria – says galore person already fled, including to his church.

“We look aft them, and they look aft us,” he smiles.

Then location is South Sudan, nan world’s youngest country, whose comparatively short history has been “marked by poorness and conflict,” recently appointed Bishop Christian Carlassare explained to Euronews from his diocese successful nan metropolis of Bentiu.

“It is not really a mediocre country, because resources are abundant. But group unrecorded poorly because of truthful overmuch instability and violence. Corruption is besides rampant.”

Some observers deliberation knowing these conflicts could springiness Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, nan Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, an separator successful nan conclave.

Pizzaballa gained world attraction for offering to move places pinch a kid hostage successful Gaza successful nan aftermath of nan Hamas 7 October attacks and holding a wide for nan 700 remaining Christians successful nan Strip successful December 2024.

The group Euronews said to successful nan region were little sure, citing his young property – a sprightly 60 – for one.

But nary of it is personal, they say. For them, it was little astir inheritance aliases characteristic than nan values nan caller pope will represent.

“As we acquisition truthful overmuch injustice and violence, we request a religion leader that whitethorn support indicating God and his gospels' values arsenic nan only measurement towards reconciliation and peace,” Bishop Carlassare concluded.

Walking retired of his unlit residence backmost into nan fierce Egyptian sun, Father Rafic refuses to estimate connected who whitethorn go nan caller pope.

“There are ever surprises pinch nan Lord and nan Holy Spirit,” he smiles, 1 eyebrow somewhat raised.