By SIR
“At last, at last!”: this is how the Chaldean patriarch of Baghdad, card. Mar Emmanuel III Delly, commented with SIR the message, signed so far by 160 MEPs, delivered to the bishops of Baghdad, Mosul and Babylon who are visiting the European Parliament, gathered in Strasbourg. In the text, the MEPs say they are “determined to keep their relations with the Christians of the Middle East, not to leave them alone, to do all they can to defend democracy, human rights and freedom of religion, for the Christians of the Middle East as well”. “At last, after so many years, an important gesture for which I thank everyone”, states the patriarch who hopes such a gesture may help politics.
“We can do nothing with the Government, we are like any other Iraqi. The Government must firmly protect all its citizens, without distinctions, and that’s enough”. That of religious freedom is also the theme of the 44th World Day of Peace (1 January 2011), “Religious freedom, the way to peace”: “that’s true - card. Delly states –, nowadays we have freedom of cult but no freedom of religion. We can celebrate everywhere in our churches, but there is no freedom of conscience. There is no freedom of religion in any Muslim Arab country”. Finally, the patriarch has no doubts about next Christmas: “it will be like any other year. We will celebrate our rites and services with prudence and care, not just now but for the future as well”.
“At last, at last!”: this is how the Chaldean patriarch of Baghdad, card. Mar Emmanuel III Delly, commented with SIR the message, signed so far by 160 MEPs, delivered to the bishops of Baghdad, Mosul and Babylon who are visiting the European Parliament, gathered in Strasbourg. In the text, the MEPs say they are “determined to keep their relations with the Christians of the Middle East, not to leave them alone, to do all they can to defend democracy, human rights and freedom of religion, for the Christians of the Middle East as well”. “At last, after so many years, an important gesture for which I thank everyone”, states the patriarch who hopes such a gesture may help politics.
“We can do nothing with the Government, we are like any other Iraqi. The Government must firmly protect all its citizens, without distinctions, and that’s enough”. That of religious freedom is also the theme of the 44th World Day of Peace (1 January 2011), “Religious freedom, the way to peace”: “that’s true - card. Delly states –, nowadays we have freedom of cult but no freedom of religion. We can celebrate everywhere in our churches, but there is no freedom of conscience. There is no freedom of religion in any Muslim Arab country”. Finally, the patriarch has no doubts about next Christmas: “it will be like any other year. We will celebrate our rites and services with prudence and care, not just now but for the future as well”.
