Pope’s condolences for death of Sheik Tantawi, supporter of Muslim-Catholic dialogue

(March 12, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his condolences for the death of Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, one of Sunni Islam's leading clerics and a supporter of Catholic-Muslim dialogue. The 81-year old leader died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sent a message on the Pope’s behalf to the sheik's family saying the Pontiff "recalls the distinguished figure of this religious leader, who for long years was a valued partner in the dialogue between Muslims and Catholics." Tantawi served since 1996 as grand sheik of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, one of the principal centers of Islamic theology for Sunni Muslims. In that position, he welcomed Pope John Paul II to the university in 2000 and helped establish a permanent dialogue commission for discussions between university leaders and Vatican officials. Cardinal Bertone expressed his own condolences and recalled gratitude the impulse which the late Sheikh gave to the meetings between the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Permanent Committee of Al-Azhar for Dialogue.