ISTANBUL — Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians demanded an end to the persecution of religious minorities in Syria and Iraq on Sunday and called for a “constructive dialogue” with Muslims, capping the pontiff’s three-day visit to Turkey with a strong show of Christian unity in the face of suffering and violence.
Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I issued a joint declaration urging leaders in the region to intensify assistance to victims of the Islamic State, and especially to allow Christians who have had a presence in the region for 2,000 years to remain on their native lands.
Additional Images
“The terrible situation of Christians and all those who are suffering in the Middle East calls not only for our constant prayer but also for an appropriate response on the part of the international community,” they wrote.
Specifically, Francis told reporters on the way home from Istanbul that all Islamic leaders – political, religious, academic – should clearly condemn terrorism so that their people hear it directly from their mouths.
“We need a global condemnation – including from Muslims – who say ‘This isn’t who we are. This isn’t the Quran,'” he said.
Francis, who represents the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic Church, and Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, called for “constructive dialogue” with Islam “based on mutual respect and friendship.”
“Inspired by common values and strengthened by genuine fraternal sentiments, Muslims and Christians are called to work together for the sake of justice, peace and respect for the dignity and rights of every person, especially in those regions where they once lived for centuries in peaceful coexistence and now tragically suffer together the horrors of war,” they said.
Francis’ outreach to Muslims in the Muslim nation, and his comments about the Islamic assault on Christians next door, took center stage during his brief visit.
His prayer in Istanbul’s Sultan Ahmet mosque was replayed again and again on Turkish television in a sign that his gesture was greatly appreciated.
And it seemed that the message was reciprocated: The grand mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, who received him at the mosque, said he hoped that Francis’ visit would “contribute to the world getting along well and living in peace.”
Francis told reporters on the way home from Istanbul that he was greatly touched by the care that Yaran took in showing him around the mosque and explaining verses of the Quran to him, such that he felt inspired to pray together with him when they reached the easternmost part of the room.
“I prayed for Turkey, for peace, for the mufti, for everyone, for myself because I need it,” Francis said. “I really prayed, and I prayed for peace above all…. It was a moment of sincere prayer.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.