Pope Francis denounces “unacceptable inequality in the world” at his first mass in Iraq

The dad Francisco chaired this Saturday on Mass in the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad, in which he pointed against the “Unacceptable inequalities” in the world which “widened”.

The Sovereign Pontiff assured that who “A more means can acquire more knowledge”, in a critique of the distribution of wealth. However, he pointed out that “The little one will be forgiven for mercy but the powerful will be rigorously examined”.

“For God, who has more power is subject to rigorous scrutiny” while those who have the least “are the privileged of God”said the Pope.

On the other hand, he highlighted Iraqi culture and said that “Wisdom has been cultivated in these lands since Antiquity”.

The Cathedral of San José was built in the 1950s after the massive arrival of Christians in the Karada district, in eastern Baghdad. It was inaugurated in 1956 with an act directed by the Patriarch Yousef VII Ghanima.

It is one of the largest Chaldean temples in the Iraqi capital. It is 38 meters above sea level and 900 meters from the east bank of the Tigris.

Karada district has a mixed population of Muslims and Christians and is one of the areas with the greatest religious diversity in the Iraqi capital. It is one of the two main districts of the Christian community in Baghdad.

The Holy Mass led by the Pope took place in Chaldean rite, what the first time that a Supreme Pontiff celebrated the highest act of the Catholic Church in this rite.

The ceremony in San José Cathedral was Francisco’s last official act of the day. Earlier the Pope met him Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, highest religious authority of the majority of Shia Muslims.

With this private visit, the Sovereign Pontiff contacted Shia Islam after signing, two years ago, a document on “human brotherhood” with a major institution of Sunni Islam.

Then, he participated in an interfaith dialogue at the Plain of Ur in which he pointed out that believers “cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion” and I remembered the atrocities committed against minorities, such as the Yazidis.

Surrounded by representatives of the religions that make up this mosaic of civilizations that is Iraq, Sunnis, Shiites, Zoroastrians and Yazidis, but not Jews, the pope recalled the ethnic and religious persecution suffered by many communities during the 2014 invasion by Islamic State terrorists (NO).

And in particular, as he did in his Friday address to authorities, he reminded the Yazidi community, mourned the deaths of many men and saw thousands of women, youth and children abducted, sold into slaves and subjected to physical violence and forced conversions“.

Pope Francis’ program will continue on Sunday, on a busy day that includes religious and protocol activities in four different cities: Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul and Qaraqosh.

The visit to Iraq will end on Monday with a Farewell ceremony at Baghdad International Airport. Then you will board the plane back to Rome, where you are estimated to arrive at 10am GMT.

(With information from EFE and AFP)

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