Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Diocese has been invited to the inauguration ceremony of the New Suez Canal, slated for August 6.

The pope received a telephone call from chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Mohab Mamish Monday inviting him to the event, the Orthodox Church said in a statement.

Mamish thanked Pope Tawadros for his support for the New Suez Canal project, the statement said.

The pope congratulated Mamish on the successful trial of the new waterway, which was accomplished in one year, it added.