For the second time in a row, Bishop Bīshūy failed to attend the Pope’s weekly sermon at Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in al-‘Abbāsiyyah, solidifying rumors of conflict between the two caused by Bīshūy’s recent comments about the veracity of certain Qur'anic verses, which many Muslims found offensive. The Pope said his joint statement with Dr. Aḥmad al-Ṭayyib was an invitation to peaceful co-existence.

Key Words: Pope Shenouda III – Bishop Bīshūy – Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in al-cAbbāsiyyah – Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayyib