▁event ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁three ▁Christian ▁pop es ▁and ▁the ▁ec umen ical ▁patri arch ▁have ▁met ▁together . ▁ ▁Oriental ▁Orth odox y ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁met ▁with ▁Pope ▁T aw ad ros ▁II ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁in ▁the ▁V at ican . ▁The ▁meeting ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁the ▁ 4 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁visit ▁by ▁a ▁Pope ▁of ▁the ▁Co ptic ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁to ▁the ▁V at ican ; ▁when ▁Pope ▁Sh en ou da ▁III ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁met ▁with ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁VI ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Francis ▁reflected ▁on ▁the ▁close ▁relationship ▁between ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁and ▁the ▁Co ptic ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁visit ▁" str ength ens ▁the ▁b onds ▁of ▁friendship ▁and ▁brother hood ▁that ▁already ▁exist ▁between ▁the ▁See ▁of ▁Peter ▁and ▁the ▁See ▁of ▁Mark " ▁and ▁pra ised ▁the ▁Commission ▁for ▁The ological ▁Dialog ue ▁for ▁prepar ing ▁ground ▁for ▁dialog ue ▁between ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁and ▁Oriental ▁Orth odox ▁churches . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁also ▁acknowled ged ▁the ▁two ▁churches ▁shared ▁belief s ▁in ▁the ▁Tr inity , ▁the ▁div inity ▁of ▁Christ , ▁Marian ▁dev otion , ▁apost ol ic ▁trad itions , ▁and ▁the ▁seven ▁sacr aments . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁T aw ad ros ▁II ,