On the 6th, Pope Francis (center), who visited Ur, Iraq, the hometown of Abraham, the common ancestor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, meets with Christian, Islam, and Yazidian leaders to have a conversation. Ur=EPA Yonhap News
Pope Francis, who visited Iraq for the first time in 2,000 years of Catholic history, is active. Immediately after meeting the chief Shi’ite cleric, a major sect in Iraq, he visited the hometown of Abraham, the common ancestor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and called for a stoppage of violence. The topic he suggested is peaceful coexistence and harmony among religions.
Pope Francis met with Christian, Islamic, and Yazidian leaders on the 6th (local time) at the ancient ruins of Abraham’s hometown on the Plains of Ur, Iraq, and stressed that “the violence committed in the name of God is the greatest blasphemy.” Targeting terrorist acts of the Islamic State (IS), an extremist Sunni armed group, he argued that “hostility, extremism, and violence are betrayal of faith.” .
Peace and harmony between the world and the Middle East is the sea that Pope Francis wants. The Pope said to the religious leaders, “I hope the world will go from conflict to unity,” and “Pray for the whole Middle East, especially neighboring Syria.”
Pope Francis (right), who visited Iraq for the first time in Catholic history, is talking with Ayatollah Ali Alsistani, Iraq’s top Muslim Shiite cleric, in Najaf, southern Iraq. Najaf = Reuters Yonhap News
Prior to his visit to Ur, Pope Francis visited Najaf, a Shi’ite holy place in southern Iraq, to create a historical scene. Ayatollah Ali Alsistani speaks with the top Shi’ite priest in Iraq. This is the first time that the Catholic Pope has met a high-ranking Muslim Shiite leader. The Associated Press reported that the two sides had worked hard to plan detailed matters from several months ago ahead of the historical meeting between Pope Francis and the highest priest of Alsistani.
The details of the meeting, which were held privately, were disclosed through statements from both sides. In a statement, the Holy See said in a statement that “(the Pope) emphasized the importance of cooperation and friendship between religious communities so that they can contribute to Iraq and the local interests by fostering mutual respect and dialogue.” The Office of the Chief Shi’ite Minister of Iraq also confirmed that “Catholic citizens should fully enjoy constitutional rights like all Iraqis and live peacefully and safely.” He said, “We must spread wisdom and reason to the fields so that the language of war is erased.”
America was reluctant. US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln tweeted that day, “I am delighted to see the Pope’s Holiness visit to historic Iraq.” “The (Pope’s) visit inspires hope and promotes religious harmony and understanding between Iraq and other religious members around the world. It will help you to do it.”
Jinwook Kim reporter [email protected]
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