His Holiness Tawadros II Pope of Alexandria Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark Coptic Church Cairo, Egypt We, the Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, share in the joy of the Coptic faithful throughout the world, as we present our best wishes and congratulations, and those of our respective churches, to Your Holiness Tawadros II, the newly elected Pope of Alexandria, and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark. In union with the Christians in Egypt, we pray in hope as you lead them all through an Islamist dominated landscape and serve our largest Christian community in the Middle East. To the young generations, Your Holiness said: “We must concentrate on what will bring Egypt’s children together, not on what will drive them apart.” Your Holiness, your calm spirit can call attention to the need to guarantee peaceful co-existence between Egypt’s Christian and Muslim communities, and guide all to a flourishing and secure future. Our Lord has certainly chosen a good shepherd for his Church, and we pray that our Almighty and Merciful God fill you with His abundant graces to be a “gift of God” (= Tawadros) for the Coptic Church and Egyptian people.

Alf Mabruk Pope Tawadros II + Fouad TWAL Patriarch of Jerusalem for Latins President A.C.O.H.L. + Elias CHACOUR Greek Catholic Melkite Archbishop of Akka Vice President A.C.O.H.L. + Giorgio LINGUA Apostolic Nuncio forJordan Msgr. Waldemar SOMMERTAG Chargé d’Affaires of the Apostolic Delegation inJerusalem & Palestine Apostolic Nunciature for Israel &C yprus

+ Michel SABBAH Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Emeritus + Yaser Al-AYYASH Greek Catholic Melkite Archbishop of Petra and Philadelphia (Amman) + Joseph SOUEIF Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus + Mussa AL-HAGE Maronite Archbishop of Haifa & Holy Land Maronite Exarch of Jerusalem + Boutros MOUALLEM Greek Catholic Melkite Archbishop of Akka Emeritus + Gregoire Pierre MELKI Syrian Catholic Exarch of Jerusalem + Joseph Jules ZEREY Greek Melkite Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem + Maroun LAHHAM Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan + Giacinto-Boulos MARCUZZO Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Israel + William SHOMALI Latin Patriarchal Vicar forJerusalem & Palestine + Kamal-Hanna BATHISH Latin Patriarchal Vicar General Emeritus + Selim SAYEGH Latin Patriarchal Vicar forJordan Emeritus Msgr. Joseph KELEKIAN Armenian Catholic Exarch of Jerusalem Very Rev. Pierbattista PIZZABALLA, OFM Custos of theHoly Land Rev. Evencio HERRERA DIAZ, OFM Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Cyprus Rev. David NEUHAUS, S.J. Patriarchal Vicar Hebrew speaking Vicariate Rev. Raymond MOUSSALLI Chaldean Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Rev. Pietro FELET, scj Secretary General