Francis took the risk, trusting in God. His decision transmitted a message of hope on the political front to all Egyptians, Christians and Muslims alike, who are well aware that their country is today a target for ISIS terrorists and is engaged in a battle against terrorism.

Predictably Mr. Trump has also clashed with the Catholic Church and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on many of the policies he has promoted during his first 100 days.

“Peace be with you” was the message of the Risen Jesus to his disciples on the first Easter, and it is the message Francis will bring to the Muslim and Christian communities in this land.

"This is not a Christian crisis of concern only to Christians," Cardinal Wuerl said. "This is a human crisis."

In Europe the Christian population is dying faster than it is being replaced. In North America, the number of Christian deaths will begin to exceed the number of births to Christian parents by around 2050.

"ISIS had written really vile things about Jesus and the church. The convent was burned and gutted. Everything was stolen. Anything holy in their mind was burned."

A total of 40 percent of surveyed countries registered "high" or "very high" levels of overall restrictions, according to Pew Research Center’s annual study on global restrictions on religion.

“We need to have a national debate on these things; it’s not a decision for the president to make in the dead of night.”

If the referendum is approved, Turkey’s parliamentary system would be scrapped in favor of an executive presidency.

In March, it was reported that up to 200 civilians in the northern Iraq city of Mosul had been killed by a series of airstrikes.