Egypt prepares, as Pope Francis visit as a ‘messenger of peace’.

A man prays in front of an image of Pope Francis during a mass, in Cairo, Egypt .On Friday, Francis is scheduled to begin a two-day pilgrimage to Egypt aimed at lifting the spirits of Christians in the Middle East, whose numbers have rapidly dwindled in recent decades due to war, displacement and emigration. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh /REUTERS)

Published on: Apr 29, 2017 3:55 PM IST

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A man prays in front of an image of Pope Francis during a mass, in Cairo, Egypt .On Friday, Francis is scheduled to begin a two-day pilgrimage to Egypt aimed at lifting the spirits of Christians in the Middle East, whose numbers have rapidly dwindled in recent decades due to war, displacement and emigration. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh /REUTERS)

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A billboard welcomes Pope Francis, in Cairo, Egypt on April 27, 2017. Last week a Vatican team arrived in Cairo to make preparations for the pope’s security. Francis has chosen not to use a bulletproof vehicle to travel between engagements. (Amr Nabil/AP)

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A choir prepares for celebrations of the upcoming Pope Francis' visit to Egypt, at Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, in Cairo. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany/REUTERS)

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A worshipper takes part in a mass, ahead of Pope Francis' visit, in a church in Cairo, Egypt . ‘Please pray for my journey tomorrow as a pilgrim of peace to Egypt’, tweeted Roman ‎Catholic Pope Francis one day before he starts his visit to Egypt. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/REUTERS)

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A man works inside a Christian souvenir shop ahead of Pope Francis’ visit in Cairo. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/REUTERS)

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Christian woman prays at Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church before Pope Francis is scheduled to visit, in Cairo, Egypt . (Mohamed Abd El Ghany/REUTERS)

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People walk past a poster bearing a portrait of Jesus Christ in the Zabalin area a day ahead of the visit of Pope Francis to the capital Cairo. (MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP)

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Christian worshippers attend a mass, ahead of Pope Francis' visit in Cairo, Egypt. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ REUTERS)

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A priest burns incense during Sunday Mass at Saint Mary's church in the Egyptian capital Cairo on April 23, 2017, ahead of Pope Francis' visit. (MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP)

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An Egyptian muslim woman walks after prayer in Al-Azhar mosque as restoration work is conducted ahead of Pope Francis’ visit in Cairo, Egypt . (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/REUTERS)

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Grand Imam of Egypt's al-Azhar Institution, Ahmed al-Tayeb (R), and Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople attends a conference ahead of Pope Francis' visit in Cairo.Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany /REUTERS)

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Pope Francis waves as he leaves for his pastoral trip to Egypt at the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy on April 28, 2017. This will be the first papal trip to the Muslim-majority nation since Pope John Paul II visited in 2000. (Tony Gentile/REUTERS)