YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. During a mass in Cairo on April 29 Pope Francis blessed Egypt as one of the earliest nations to embrace Christianity, Reuters reported.

“True faith leads us to protect the rights of others with the same zeal and enthusiasm with which we defend our own. The only fanaticism believers can have is that of charity. Any other fanaticism does not come from God and is not pleasing to him”, he saying as quoted by Reuters.

In Cairo Pope urged Muslim leaders to unite against the violence by Islamic militants threatening to rid the Middle East of its ancient Christian communities.

Francis' trip comes three weeks after Islamic State killed at least 45 people in attacks on two Egyptian churches.

Helicopter gunships circled the perimeter of the stadium and armored military vehicles patrolled the streets of the Egyptian capital on Saturday. Police in white uniforms were positioned every few meters (yards) on a Nile bridge that the pope crossed.

Pope himself declined the use of an armored limousine, preferring instead to travel in an ordinary Fiat car with its window wound down so he could be closer to onlookers.

This is his first visit to Cairo, but he is the second Pope who visits Egypt.