Vatican's Cardinal Fernandez Meets with Coptic Pope Tawadros II to Clarify that Blessings "are not given to the union between individuals" in Fiducis supplicans

According to Vatican News, On Wednesday, May 22, Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, received Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in Cairo. They discussed the declaration Fiducia supplicans and the Coptic Holy Synod’s March 7 statement regarding "same-sex marriage". This was reported in a communiqué from the Coptic Orthodox Church itself.
Fernández expressed greetings from Pope Francis, recalling the popes' previous meetings. The present discussion was on the declaration Fiducia supplicans, published last December by the Vatican Dicastery. In March, the Coptic Synod released a declaration reaffirming its rejection of “so-called same-sex marriage.” Cardinal Fernández reiterated that both Fiducia supplicans and the subsequent doctrinal declaration, Dignitas infinita, affirm that marriage is solely the union between a man and a woman open to the transmission of life, and confirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to "same-sex marriage".
Vatican News was informed that the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith explained to His Holiness Tawadros II that the Catholic Church shares the teachings of the March 7 declaration, and has a positive view of its pastoral approach. Regarding Fiducia supplicans, Fernández explained that—as Pope Francis told the DDF plenary assembly — these blessings are not given to the union between individuals. If two people present themselves together, they can be blessed, making the sign of the cross over each and adding a short prayer. But this must happen briefly, spontaneously, without any rite, without liturgical vestments, and without any outward manifestation that might confuse this blessing with a marriage.
What is most important, the Prefect explained, is to ensure that these kinds of simple, spontaneous, and pastoral blessings can also be imparted on the street, during pilgrimages, and can be received by everyone, regardless of their condition. This is not, in this case—Fernández specified—"sanctifying grace" but those aids of the Holy Spirit that Catholics call "actual graces," which push the sinner towards conversion and maturation.
During the conversation, Tawadros II also explained to Fernández the historical, cultural, and social ethos of the Egyptian people, who have been very connected to the Nile River throughout their history. While he was in Cairo, the Cardinal met with other patriarchs and bishops—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—discussing matters pertaining to the Dicastery.

The FB page of the Orthodox Coptic Church wrote:

This coincided with the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the restoration of relations between them through the visit of H.H. Pope Shenouda III to the Vatican and his meeting with Pope John-Paul VI, on the 10th of May 1973.
The dialogue during the meeting revolved around the statement of the Coptic Orthodox Church that was issued by the Holy Synod in March 2024, which included its rejection of the so-called same-sex marriage. Cardinal Victor Fernandez stressed that the Catholic Church fully supports this statement and is committed to everything contained in it, considering that these are the teachings of the Holy Bible.
He pointed out that the document on Human Dignity issued by the Catholic Church clearly declares that marriage is only between a man and a woman after which children are born, stressing the Catholic Church’s complete rejection of same-sex marriage.
The Cardinal indicated that he had provided a comprehensive clarification of this issue in a detailed letter as requested by the delegation of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Dialogue Committee with the Catholic Church, which was held in January 2024.
At the end of the meeting, H.H. Pope Tawadros referred to the path of love between the two Churches and the importance of dialogue, after evaluating the accomplishmemts of the past twenty years and the necessity of developing more effective methods and mechanisms for it.
H.H. Pope Tawadros asked the Cardinal to convey his greetings of love and appreciation to His Holiness Pope Francis.
The meeting was attended by Cardinal Nicholas Henry, the Vatican Ambassador to Egypt.
Source: Vatican News with Screen shot