Islamist Mohamed Morsi paid tribute on Friday to Egypt's Muslims and Christians alike and symbolically swore himself in as the country's first elected civilian president before a huge crowd at Tahrir Square.
Morsi, who won a run-off election earlier this month, was received with applause by tens of thousands of people gathered in the square, birthplace of the revolt that overthrew his predecessor Hosni Mubarak last year.
He promised a "civilian state" and praised "the square of the revolution, the square of freedom," in what he called an address to "the free world, Arabs, Muslims... the Muslims of Egypt, Christians of Egypt."
Morsi symbolically swore himself in before the crowd on the eve of officially taking the oath of office. "I swear to preserve the republican system... and to preserve the independence" of Egypt, he said.
The Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi resigned after winning the presidency, had called for a huge demonstration in Tahrir under the slogan "Day of the transfer of power."
The presidency has announced that Morsi will be sworn in Saturday before the Constitutional Court, as demanded by Egypt's ruling military council.
After taking the oath, Morsi will still have to contend with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) which will retain broad powers after it formally transfers power.
Traditionally the president takes the oath in parliament, but Egypt's top court has ordered the disbanding of the Islamist-dominated legislature.
The military subsequently assumed legislative powers and also formed a powerful national security council headed by the president but dominated by generals.
By agreeing to be sworn in by the Constitutional Court, Morsi is effectively acknowledging the court's decision to dissolve parliament.
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