A delegation of Filipino Catholic priests and archbishops will depart for Cairo next week to undergo a 10-day intensive training course on Islamic Shariah, in what both Manila and Cairo describe as a landmark interfaith initiative.
The program was first proposed by Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, during a bilateral meeting with Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Egypt’s Minister of Religious Endowments last April.
Egyptian Ambassador to Manila Nader Zaki said the idea was to ‘train the Catholic priests in one region in Egypt to know more about the Sharia, to know more about what are the sensitive issues for Muslim Filipinos in order to enhance… a peaceful co-existence in these regions.’
Zaki emphasized that cultural exchange remains the strongest pillar of Egypt-Philippines relations.
‘If you don’t have people-to-people engagement, don’t count on political relations (to be) very sustainable. Cultural exchange is our best success story between both countries,’ Zaki told BusinessMirror in an exclusive interview.
The training is designed to deepen the clergy’s understanding of Islamic law and cultural sensitivities, knowledge seen as critical for priests assigned to pastoral roles in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Daily pastoral work there often involves navigating interfaith marriages, community disputes, and cultural practices rooted in Islamic tradition.
In Cairo, the program will combine lectures with field visits to historic churches, mosques, and landmarks along the route of the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt. Zaki invited Filipino pilgrims to rediscover this heritage.
‘Jesus Christ and Mary spent four years in Egypt before returning home. We have mapped every stop they made, with churches and monasteries in these areas. Through this program, we hope Filipinos will also visit the Holy Family route,’ he said.
The initiative follows earlier exchanges, including visits by Egyptian imams and sheikhs to the Philippines for Shariah training, and is expected to expand further to include Filipino judges and lawyers as the country establishes Shariah courts.