SHAFAQNA- Following the visit of Pope Francis to Iraq, Ayatollah Mohammad Javad Tabatabai Brujerdi sent him a message.
The full text of the message reads:
In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent
To: His Eminence Pope Francis, Leader of Roman Catholic Church
We warmly greet you and sincerely welcome you. The historic trip of the respected Pope to the historic land of Mesopotamia, which was in the past among the first advocates of human rights based on the legacy of Imam Ali (AS) and his Honorable family (AS), offers a unique opportunity to bring closer the two great religions of Islam and Christianity. It will leave a great and far reaching impact on global peace, the end of regional conflicts, and humanitarian crises.
Unfortunately, there are numerous troubled spots in the Islamic world today, such as the tragedy of the Yemen war. The images of children deprived of food and medicine have ached the hearts of all human beings. The crisis of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, which is clearly a genocide, and the painful situation of the Uyghur Muslims in China are a deep wound in our modern civilization.
Hence, the special call of his eminence the Pope, his expression of rights is something that deserves much praise and respect. Many values and beliefs are shared between Christians and Muslims, especially Shia Muslims who believe in the coming of the savior at the end of times. This meeting between the Christian and Muslim worlds thus provide a new opportunity to solve a number of problems that are caused by human rights violations and the deprivation of many human beings from their rights and basic necessities to live.
This wonderful opportunity offers a new chapter of collaboration among the monotheistic religions to establish peace, brotherhood and equality among people. We hope this historic visit will achieve these aspirations. I ask the Almighty to God grant more success to his eminence.
Mohammad Jawad Tabatabai Brujerdi
18 Rajab 1442-02 March 2021
