The Pope Meets Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani In Najaf

Baghdad / NINA /- The office of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani, published the details of the meeting between him and Pope Francis. Al-Sistani's office said in a press release after the meeting: “His Eminence, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani met this morning with the Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and President of the Vatican State. During the meeting, the discussion revolved around the great challenges facing humanity in this era and the role of faith in Almighty God and His messages and commitment to the sublime moral values to overcome them. " The statement added, "His Eminence spoke about the injustice, oppression, poverty, religious and intellectual persecution, suppression of basic freedoms and the absence of social justice, especially the wars, acts of violence, economic blockade, displacement and other activities that many people in our region suffer from, especially the Palestinian people in the occupied territories." According to the statement, His Eminence indicated the role that great religious and spiritual leaders should play in curbing these tragedies, and what is hoped for in urging the concerned parties - especially in the great powers - to give priority to reason and wisdom and to reject the language of war, and not to expand in caring for their self-interests at the expense of peoples' rights to live in freedom and dignity. He also stressed the importance of concerted efforts to consolidate the values of harmony, peaceful coexistence and human solidarity in all societies, based on fostering rights and mutual respect among followers of different religions and intellectual trends. Al-Sistani praised the prestige and glorious history of Iraq and the honorable of its various affiliations, and expressed his hope that Iraq would surpass its current ordeal in a not long time. He affirmed his concern for Christian citizens to live like all Iraqis in peace and security, and with full constitutional rights. He referred to a part of the role played by the religious authority in protecting them and the rest of those who had been wronged and hurt in the incidents of past years, especially during the period in which the terrorists seized vast areas in several Iraqi provinces, and practiced criminal acts there. His Eminence wished the Supreme Pontiff, the followers of the Catholic Church, and the general public of humanity good and happiness, and thanked him for taking the trouble to travel to Najaf to make this visit. / End