“Thank you, Holy Father, for your sympathy! We are thankful to Benedict XVI, we know how much He worries about our communities: we hope His voice will resound all over the world and above all in the hard-hearted ones”. This is how the patriarchal vicar of Baghdad, mgr. Shlemon Warduni, hails the words spoken by the Pope yesterday during the Angelus to Christians and the Iraqi population. “Strong and hopeful word – says to SIR mgr. Warduni – which sound like an appeal to Christians to trust justice and not leave their country. Benedict XVI appealed to the Authorities, asking them to put aside their partisan interests and protect the most vulnerable religious minorities. The time has come to set aside every particular, political, religious, cultural and ethnic interest. Christians must be able to leave in peace and security in their country, as citizens, in their full right”.

© SIR - 1 march 2010