Despite the ongoing risk of terrorism, Pope Francis planned to travel to Egypt as a sign of being close to the people there, said Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman.
Heightened security is part of the "new normal" in many countries, but even in the wake of the Palm Sunday attacks in Egypt, it is the Pope's desire "to go ahead, to also be a sign of his closeness" to those affected by violence and all the people of Egypt, Burke told journalists on April 24.
At a Vatican briefing outlining some details of the Pope's trip to Cairo on April 28-29, a reporter asked if there were any worries or concerns about the Pope's security.
