POPE EXPRESSES HIS CONCERNS FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
iloubnan.info
Nov 24 2008
Lebanon
VATICAN CITY-Pope Benedict XVI reiterated Monday his concern
for Christians in the Middle East during an audience granted to
Catholicos Aram I, spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church
in Lebanon. The pope expressed his "deep concern for the people of
Lebanon and the Middle East" in general, in view of the "tensions
and conflicts that continue to thwart efforts for reconciliation and
peace on all levels of political and civilian life in the region." He
was "saddened by the escalation of violence and persecution against
Christians in some parts of the Middle East and elsewhere." "Peace
can only be built on solid foundations if the countries concerned can
determine their own destiny and if the various ethnic and religious
groups accept and respect each other fully," said the Pope.
He had expressed similar concerns when he received Lebanese President
Michel Sleimane October 31. Benedict XVI received for the first time
in the Vatican Aram I, Catholicos (patriarch) of Cilicia of the
Armenians, Lebanese branch of the Armenian Apostolic Church whose
constitution dates back to the 3rd century. The pope also referred
to the "unspeakable suffering" experienced by the Armenian people in
the twentieth century. But once again, unlike his predecessor John
Paul II, he has refrained from pronouncing the word "genocide".
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
