A general view for Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church before Pope Francis is scheduled to visit, in Cairo, Egypt April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis hopes to mend ties with Muslims on his trip to Egypt on Friday but faces criticism from church conservatives for meeting Islamic religious leaders after a spate of deadly attacks against Christians.
In a video message to the people of Egypt on Tuesday, Francis said the world had been "torn by blind violence, which has also afflicted the heart of the your dear land" and said he hoped his trip could help peace and inter-religious dialogue.
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