THE Archbishop of Canterbury has personally handed over a letter of condolence from the family of murdered Scottish aid worker David Haines to the leader of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East.
The letter is one of several which were given to Bishop Tawadros, the Pope of Egypt's Coptic Christians, following the murders of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya.
Mr Haines' family wrote are understood to have written the letter after the migrant workers were kidnapped and beheaded by Islamic State (IS) militants in February.
Archbishop Justin Welby delivered the letters, all from the families of British terror victims, as he travelled to egypt on a "visit of condolence".
Mr Welby, who has called for more support for Christians facing persecution, took the personal messages after a grieving British relative "came to see him a few weeks ago and asked him to take these letters with him", according to his spokesman.
The spokesman said: "He personally took 21 letters with him and has handed them over.
"The essence of the visit is to show solidarity following the murder of the Coptic Christians. It is also reminding people of what has happened. The people he has met so far have been genuinely delighted that he has made this very brief visit here to pledge his support and stand by them."
Mr Haines, a former RAF veteran from Perth, was seized in Syria in 2013 before being beheaded in September last year.
The archbishop has previously condemned the 44-year-old's killing, describing it as a "brutal, cruel murder" and an "act of absolute evil".
During his visit to Egypt, Mr Welby also met the Grand Imam of Al Azar - the key authority in Sunni Islam.
A further series of meetings with religious and political leaders has also been lined up for this week for the archbishop to personally show his "love and concern" but also to hear about the suffering of Christians in the region.
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