Pope Francis meets with Iraqi Christian leaders
March 2, 2022, 6:11 pm

Pope Francis meets with Iraqi Christian leaders

Pope Francis/Facebook page

The Arab News reported, Pope Francis met with Iraqi Christian leaders on Monday. He encouraged Iraqi Christian communities to promote dialogue and build fraternity to prevent extremism and fundamentalism.

The Pope held an audience with representatives from the Christian Churches in Iraq visiting Rome, celebrating the first anniversary of his apostolic journey to the country in March 2021.

Members of the Iraqi delegation included Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud of Mosul and East Assyrian Bishop Abris Youkhanna of Kirkuk and Diana, who thanked the pope for his visit last year.

Pope Francis told his audience that Iraq is the cradle of civilization and Christianity, adding: “I bow before the suffering and martyrdom of those who have preserved the faith, even at the cost of their lives.”

He said: “Iraq without Christians would no longer be Iraq, because Christians, along with other believers, contribute strongly to the country’s specific identity as a place where co-existence, tolerance and mutual acceptance have flourished ever since the first centuries.”

Iraqis waving with national flag (File photo: Shutterstock)

He added: “No stone should be left unturned in ensuring that Christians continue to feel that Iraq is their home, and that they are citizens in their own right.”

Pope Francis said Christians have a duty to ensure dialogue with other faiths and community groups, as that is “the best antidote to extremism, which is a danger for the followers of any religion and a grave threat to peace.”

Iraq to host 2022 World Cup qualifier as FIFA's ban lifted

He added that fundamentalism can be eradicated only by addressing its root causes, which include “material, cultural and educational poverty, and situations of injustice and vulnerability.”

Daoud said the pope’s visit in March 2021 had a positive impact on interreligious relations, with Muslims better understanding and appreciating their Christian compatriots.

UN ends Iraq’s requirement to pay victims of Kuwait invasion

Youkhanna said the visit inspired a “new impulse and light” to religious dialogue in Iraq, adding: “Dialogue is made up of human relationships that constantly reminds us that we are all children of God, and therefore brothers.”

Source: arabnews

Boris Johnson: Putin's actions in Ukraine qualify as war crimes WHO warns Russia-Ukraine conflict could increase large numbers of severe COVID disease

Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.