Mass to Honor Victims of Baghdad Atrocity

http://www.h2onews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224447114&catid=47&Itemid=14  "The grave attack of October 31 against the Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad was an act of unprecedented savagery against defenseless people, reunited in prayer." These were the words of Archbishop Mikhael Al Jamil, procurator of the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Syrians to the Holy See, during a Mass on Wednesday for the victims of Our Lady of Perpertual Help in Baghdad. 10 days had passed since the massacre in which more than 55 people died and over 100 wounded as they gathered for prayer. And on Wednesday, six more people were killed and 33 wounded in a series of new attacks on Christian homes in the Iraqi capital. Al Jamil said "the situation in the country is increasingly difficult, forcing many to flee, saying that they don't belong to any of the warring factions, nor are they taking part in the internal conflicts of the country and have no weapons, not even to defend their own lives." The prelate also expressed concern about a policy that tries to make the Middle East simply into a region of mixed religions, sects and various other components forged together by political designs. He said that would result in the destruction of the true and beautiful Middle East, and instead "create a monster that would always need to be nursed and treated in the hospital of international politics." Al Jamil said it would be a policy "which is without history, without tradition, without religious ethics, without redemption, without God." Unfortunately, he continued, "the better Islam has so far been unable to stop the terrorist movements". He called on Islam not to let terrorism and other political elements, both Eastern and Western, "to empty the East and of Christianity and ruin this beautiful image of secular dialogue and coexistence between Islam and Christianity."

 

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