A special symbolic olive tree sculpture was presented by the Pope to the Muslim Council of Elders Chairman.
Al Azhar Grand Imam Dr Shaikh Ahmad Al Tayyeb met with Pope Francis and received the gift during a private meeting between the two global religious leaders, it has emerged.
“Made by the Greek sculptor Aggelos Panagiotides from wrought iron and finished with gold leaf, the ‘tree of life’ symbolises eternity and peace,” the Vatican City announced in a statement on Twitter.
Mr Panagiotides is well-known for his olive tree sculptures, one of which was famously showcased during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The 72-year-old artist’s works are also exhibited in the UN Security Council and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Pope Francis and the Grand Imam have had a long-standing friendship, with the two religious leaders signing the landmark document in 2017 on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together under the patronage of Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then-Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and now-President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi.
The Grand Imam is considered by many to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought and leads the Egypt-based Al-Azhar Al Sharif and Al Azhar Mosque.
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