Vatican City, 28 November 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon, following his address before the Turkish
authorities in the Presidential Palace, the Holy Father met with the
prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, after which he proceeded to the
Diyanet, the Department for Religious Affairs and highest Sunni
Islamic authority in Turkey. Although a secular state, 98% of the
Turkish population is Muslim, of whom 68% are Sunni and 30% Shia. The
president of the Diyanet, Mehmet Gormez, welcomed the Pope upon
arrival and accompanied him to his office where they spoke privately
for a minute. They then entered the Hall together, where Francis
addressed the gathered Muslim and Christian political and religious
leaders.
“It is a tradition that Popes, when
they visit different countries as part of their mission, meet also
with the leaders and members of various religions. Without this
openness to encounter and dialogue, a papal visit would not fully
correspond to its purposes. And so I wished to meet you, following in
the footsteps of my venerable predecessors. In this context, I am
pleased to recall in a special way Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to
this very same place in November 2006. Good relations and dialogue
between religious leaders have, in fact, acquired great importance.
They represent a clear message addressed to their respective
communities which demonstrates that mutual respect and friendship are
possible, notwithstanding differences. Such friendship, as well as
being valuable in itself, becomes all the more meaningful and
important in a time of crisis such as our own: crises which in some
parts of the world are disastrous for entire peoples”.
He continued, “Wars cause the death
of innocent victims and bring untold destruction, inter-ethnic and
interreligious tensions and conflicts, hunger and poverty afflicting
hundreds of millions of people, and inflict damage on the natural
environment – air, water and land. Especially tragic is the
situation in the Middle East, above all in Iraq and Syria. Everyone
suffers the consequences of these conflicts, and the humanitarian
situation is unbearable. I think of so many children, the sufferings
of so many mothers, of the elderly, of those displaced and of all
refugees, subject to every form of violence. Particular concern
arises from the fact that, owing mainly to an extremist and
fundamentalist group, entire communities, especially – though not
exclusively – Christians and Yazidis, have suffered and continue to
suffer barbaric violence simply because of their ethnic and religious
identity. They have been forcibly evicted from their homes, and have
had to leave behind everything to save their lives and preserve their
faith. This violence has also brought damage to sacred buildings,
monuments, religious symbols and cultural patrimony, as if trying to
erase every trace, every memory of the other.
“As religious leaders, we are obliged
to denounce all violations against human dignity and human rights.
Human life, a gift of God the Creator, possesses a sacred character.
As such, any violence which seeks religious justification warrants
the strongest condemnation because the Omnipotent is the God of life
and peace. The world expects those who claim to adore God to be men
and women of peace who are capable of living as brothers and sisters,
regardless of ethnic, religious, cultural or ideological
differences”.
However, as well as denouncing such
situations, he added, “we must also work together to find adequate
solutions. This requires the cooperation of all: governments,
political and religious leaders, representatives of civil society,
and all men and women of goodwill. In a unique way, religious leaders
can offer a vital contribution by expressing the values of their
respective traditions. We, Muslims and Christians, are the bearers of
spiritual treasures of inestimable worth. Among these we recognise
some shared elements, though lived according to the traditions of
each, such as the adoration of the All-Merciful God, reference to the
Patriarch Abraham, prayer, almsgiving, and fasting – elements
which, when lived sincerely, can transform life and provide a sure
foundation for dignity and fraternity. Recognising and developing
our common spiritual heritage – through interreligious dialogue –
helps us to promote and to uphold moral values, peace and freedom in
society. The shared recognition of the sanctity of each human life
is the basis of joint initiatives of solidarity, compassion, and
effective help directed to those who suffer most. In this regard, I
wish to express my appreciation for everything that the Turkish
people, Muslims and Christians alike, are doing to help the hundreds
of thousands of people who are fleeing their countries due to
conflicts. There are two million of them. This is a clear example of
how we can work together to serve others, an example to be encouraged
and maintained”.
In this regard, the Holy Father
expressed his satisfaction at the good relations between the Diyanet
and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. “It is my
earnest desire that these relations will continue and be strengthened
for the good of all, so that every initiative which promotes
authentic dialogue will offer a sign of hope to a world so greatly in
need of peace, security and prosperity. Following my meeting with the
president, I am also hopeful that this interreligious dialogue will
take on creative new forms”.
He concluded by thanking again the
president of the Diyanet and his collaborators for this meeting, and
expressed his gratitude to all present for their presence and their
prayers for him and his ministry. “For my part, I assure you of my
prayers. May the Lord grant us all his blessing”.
Following the encounter, the Pope
transferred to the apostolic nunciature, where he spent the night.