The Iraqis came together hand in hand ... a historic mission accomplished by Pope Francis in his visit to Iraq

by **claud39** Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:18 pm

[size=36]The Iraqis came together hand in hand ... a historic mission accomplished by Pope Francis in his visit to Iraq[/size]

06/03/2021

The Iraqis came together hand in hand ... a historic mission accomplished by Pope Francis in his visit to Iraq 21532021_655656

Baghdad - Mawazine News

Iraqis came together hand in hand from various components and religions, as they received the Pope, Pope Francis, on his historic visit to Iraq, the launch of the first letter of writing, the home of the three great religions in the world.

Many hopes for the Iraqis who aspire from the Pope's visit to their country, for gains that end crises and conflicts that they have long paid for due to violence, terrorism and sectarianism during the past years.

Father Martin Hormuz Daoud, Director of Media and Public Relations at the Christian Endowment Office in Iraq, said in an interview with "Sputnik" today, Friday, that the Pope of the Vatican stands with the Iraqis not only to shed light, but also to carry a true and humane message calling on all parties in Iraq. In order to sit at the same table for dialogue and understanding, to restore the societal fabric to what it used to be.

Daoud said, "His Holiness, the Pope, through his papal ailment, made many visits to the regions of the Middle East, carrying with him a message of peace and love, and he carried it to Iraq, since our country is a country of tolerance and harmony, and this is the goal of the visit in which he will meet the supreme religious authority, Mr. He stands on the ruins of Mosul churches that were destroyed by ISIS (the terrorist organization banned in Russia).

He added that the gains that the Pope of the Vatican, Francis, will achieve on his visit to Iraq, for all Iraqis, "is this opportunity in order to put aside all differences and try to start anew to establish a stable Iraq," saying:

This stability is desperately needed because the issue of immigration has affected not Only the Christians, but all Iraqis who have been affected by the terrorist operations.

On what the Pope’s visit to Iraq contributes to encouraging immigrant members of the Christian component to return to their homeland, Daoud adds: “I do not place broad hopes on the visit in this regard, as the issue of return is related to many factors, not only a personal visit like his holiness, but rather depends on the efforts made by the government.

In order to restore security stability, impose the authority and force of law, as well as build institutions in a professional and fair manner, and rebuild all cities that were destroyed by "ISIS", thus opening Iraq to all countries, which helps to rethink the return and rebuild the family's life again. "

He continues: "The Pope's visit will contribute to highlighting Iraq on the part of the international community, as his visit is covered by most of the international media, which alerts the international community to its primary role in helping Iraq as this country is the first gateway in defending the world, against attacks." "The terrorist attacks that have appeared in the region, and the international community has a moral and humanitarian obligation towards Iraq."

The father, director of media and public relations at the Christian Endowment Office, concluded by saying: "The Iraqis are happy and all hope that the Pope will visit Iraq, as he will shed light on Christians, Ur and archaeological areas, as we noticed many media outlets highlighting Iraqi landmarks not only from the political side, but also for the role."

Civilization begins from Ur, the home of the Prophet Abraham, and ends with every archaeological area carrying a civilizational scent for Iraq. "

The Pope of the Vatican, Francis, arrived in the capital, Baghdad, today, Friday, at the start of a historic four-day visit to Iraq, which is the first papal visit to Iraq ever.

https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=144328

by **claud39** Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:25 pm

[size=36]The full text of the historical speech of Pope Francis at the Baghdad Palace[/size]

05/03/2021

The Iraqis came together hand in hand ... a historic mission accomplished by Pope Francis in his visit to Iraq 15532021_48147546-361c-4571-8e11-ef68f32672a9

The Iraqis came together hand in hand ... a historic mission accomplished by Pope Francis in his visit to Iraq 15532021_48147546-361c-4571-8e11-ef68f32672a9

BAGHDAD - Mawazine News

publishes / Mawazine News /, on Friday, the full text of the speech that Pope Francis delivered at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, during his historic visit to Iraq.

The following is the full text of Pope Francis’s speech:

“Mr. President,

members of the government and the diplomatic corps,

the distinguished authorities,

representatives of civil society,

ladies and gentlemen.

I am grateful for the opportunity to make this long-awaited and longing for the apostolic visit to the Republic of Iraq. I am grateful that I was able to come to this land, the cradle of civilization, which is closely linked, through our father Abraham and many prophets, to the history of salvation and the major religious traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

I thank the President, Dr. Barham Salih, for his invitation, and for the kind words of welcome that he addressed to me, in his name, on behalf of the authorities and his beloved people.

I also pay tribute to the members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of civil society.

I send my warm greetings to the bishops, priests, monks and nuns, and all the faithful in the Catholic Church.

I came as a pilgrim to encourage them in their testimony of faith, hope and love in the midst of Iraqi society. I salute members of other churches and Christian ecclesiastical groups, Muslim believers and representatives of all religious traditions.

May God grant us that we walk together, brothers and sisters, in "the firm conviction that the true teachings of religions call for upholding the values of peace, mutual acquaintance, human fraternity and coexistence.

My visit comes at a time when the whole world is trying to emerge from the crisis of the Coronavirus pandemic, which not only affected the health of many people, but also caused the deterioration of social and economic conditions that were already suffering from fragility and instability.

This crisis requires joint efforts from everyone, to take many necessary steps, including a fair distribution of the vaccine that includes everyone. This is not enough: this crisis is, above all, a call to rethink our life styles and the meaning of our existence.

This means that we get out of this time of tribulation better than we were before, and that we build the future on what unites us and not on what divides us.

Over the past decades, Iraq has suffered from the disasters of wars, the scourge of terrorism, and sectarian conflicts that are often based on fundamentalism that cannot accept to live together in peace, between different ethnic and religious groups, with different ideas and cultures. All this brought death and destruction, and the rubble is still visible, not just on the physical level.

The damage is much deeper in the hearts, if we think about the wounds that afflicted the hearts of many people and groups, which take years to heal.

Here, among the many who suffered and suffered, I cannot help but mention the Yazidis, the innocent victims of the reckless and inhuman attack, as they were persecuted and killed because of their religious affiliation, and their identity and survival itself were at risk.

So if we can now view each other with our differences, and as members of the one human family, we can begin an effective reconstruction process, and we can deliver a better world to future generations, more just and more humane.

In this regard, the religious, cultural and ethnic difference that characterized Iraqi society for thousands of years is a valuable aid to benefit from it, and not an obstacle to getting rid of it. Iraq today is called to show everyone, especially in the Middle East, that differences, rather than provoking conflicts, must co-operate in harmony in civil life.

Brotherly life together requires patient and sincere dialogue, protected by justice and respect for the law. It is not an easy task: it requires effort and commitment from everyone to overcome the spirit of hostility and confrontation, and it requires that we speak to one another based on the deepest identity that unites us, which is the identity of the children of the One and Creator God.

On the basis of this principle, the Holy See in Iraq and everywhere will never tire of appealing to the competent authorities to grant recognition, respect, rights and protection to all religious groups. I appreciate the efforts already made in this direction, and I join the voice of men and women of goodwill, so that they may continue in their endeavors for the good and the benefit of the country.

A society that bears the characteristic of fraternal unity is a society whose members live in solidarity with each other. "Solidarity helps us to see the other as a relative and companion in the path." Solidarity is a virtue that compels us to undertake concrete actions of care and service, with special regard for the most vulnerable and in need.

I think of those who have lost their families, loved ones, homes and basic possessions as a result of violence, persecution and terror. And I think of all those who struggle every day in search of security and ways to move forward, while unemployment and poverty increase.

Our knowledge of our responsibility towards the weakness of others should inspire every effort to create practical capabilities, both economically and educational, as well as for the care of creation, our common home.

After the crisis, rebuilding is not enough, but rather it must be done well, so that everyone can enjoy a decent life. We do not come out of the crisis as we were before, we either get out in a better or worse condition.

As political and diplomatic officials, you are called to reinforce this spirit of fraternal solidarity. It is necessary to tackle the scourge of corruption, abuse of power, and everything that is illegal. But this is not enough.

At the same time, it is necessary to achieve justice, develop integrity and transparency, and strengthen the institutions responsible for that. In this way, stability can increase and a sound policy can be developed that can provide everyone, especially the youth, who are many in this country, hope for a better future.

Mr. President, the respected authorities, and dear friends, I have come in a penitent manner asking for forgiveness from heaven and from brotherhood, for the great destruction and cruelty of mankind. I came as a pilgrim carrying peace in the name of Christ, Prince of Peace. How many years have we prayed for peace in Iraq, Pope Saint John Paul II did not provide initiatives, especially prayers and sufferings for peace.

And God listens, and He always listens. We must listen to Him, and walk in His path. Let the weapons be silent, let us put an end to their spread here and everywhere, and stop the special interests, the external interests that do not care about the local population. Let us listen to those who build and make peace, for the little ones, the poor and the simple who want to live, work and pray in peace.

Stop violence, extremism, partisanship and intolerance, let us give the space to all citizens who want to build this country together in dialogue and in a frank, honest and constructive confrontation. Let us give way to those who are committed to striving for reconciliation and the common good, and who is willing to put their interests aside.

Iraq tried in these years to lay the foundations for a democratic society. For this, it is imperative that we ensure the participation of all political, social and religious groups, and that we secure the basic rights of all citizens. One must not be considered a second-class citizen. I encourage the steps taken thus far in this direction, and I hope that tranquility and harmony will be strengthened.

The international community must also play a crucial role in promoting peace on this land and throughout the Middle East. We have seen that long conflict in neighboring Syria, which has now been ten years since its inception, that mounting challenges make the entire human family an urgent invitation. It requires cooperation on a global scale in order to also confront economic inequality and regional tensions that threaten the stability of these countries.

I thank the countries and international organizations that are now working in Iraq to rebuild and provide assistance to refugees and displaced persons, and for those who have difficulty returning to their homes, and because they provide food, water, shelter and health services in the country, as well as programs aimed at reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Here I cannot help but mention the many agencies, among them many of the Catholic agencies that for years have been helping the civilian population with great commitment. Meeting the basic needs of many brothers and sisters is an act of love and justice, and it contributes to lasting peace.

I hope that the countries will not withdraw the hand of friendship and constructive commitment extended to the Iraqi people, but rather continue to work in a spirit of shared responsibility with the local authorities, without imposing political or ideological interests.

Religion, by its very nature, must be at the service of peace and brotherhood. The name of God may not be used to "justify acts of murder, displacement, terror and oppression."

On the contrary, God, who created human beings equal in dignity and rights, calls us to spread love, benevolence and harmony. In Iraq, the Catholic Church also wants to be friendly to all, and to cooperate, through constructive dialogue with other religions, for the cause of peace.

The ancient presence of Christians in this land and their contributions to the life of the country constitute a rich legacy, and he wants to be able to continue serving everyone.

Their participation in public life, as citizens fully enjoying rights, freedoms and responsibilities, will testify that healthy religious, ethnic and cultural pluralism can contribute to the prosperity and harmony of the country.

Dear friends, I would like to express once again my sincere thanks for all that you have done and are still making in order to build a society based on fraternal unity, solidarity and harmony. Serving you for the common good is a noble act.

I ask Almighty God to support you in your responsibilities, and to guide you all on the path of wisdom, justice and truth. For each of you, your families and loved ones, and the entire Iraqi people, I ask God for the multitude of divine blessings. Thanks. ''

Ended 29 / A43

https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=144297