Pope Francis, the Pope of the Vatican, criticized “the excitement of wars”, in his speech at the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, titled “East and West for Human Coexistence”, in its first session in Manama.
During the meeting that the Gulf state was hosting, the head of the Catholic Church declared that humanity “plays with fire, missiles, bombs, and weapons that inflict tears and death.
The Pope avoided naming any nations or authorities, but it appeared that he was alluding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Pope, the objective of powerful states is to impose their “models and dictatorial, imperialism, national, and popular views.”
In his statement at the Bahrain Dialogue Forum’s closing ceremony today, Friday, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain expressed the Kingdom’s willingness to support efforts to halt the Russian-Ukrainian hostilities.
The His Honor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam and Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, also stated in favour of it.
At the conclusion of the conference, the Grand Imam made a point of stating that Islam does not respect freedom of expression and opinion, “even if this implies that certain adherents of the same faith.”
In 2019, the Pope and the Imam met and signed a letter that deepened their relationships as Islamic Catholic brothers.
The Pope’s visit to Bahrain marks his second trip to an Arab Gulf nation.
In the afternoon, Pope Francis emphasised at a meeting with high-ranking Islamic representatives that religion should support people, urged religious harmony, and insisted that no one should align themselves with those who embrace “violence, war, and arms trafficking.”
Later, in one of the biggest churches in the Arab world, the Cathedral of the Arab Lady, he prayed to the Pope for world peace.
Finally, the King of Bahrain expressed his optimism regarding the forum’s recommendations, viewing them as the best proof for advancing humanity, reviving the paths of understanding and amity between all religions and beliefs as a fundamental entryway to replace the compatibility of the dispute, and establishing unity in place of division.
He emphasised his support for the significant outcomes that came out of the forum and his commitment to giving it the care it needs to proceed in the right direction as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote peace and strengthen the values of tolerance and coexistence between our nations and their peoples.
Along with a sizable number of important intellectual and media figures, Pope Francis and Sheikh Al-Tayeb arrived in Bahrain yesterday, Thursday, to take part in the conference. Around 200 individuals, leaders, and representatives of many religions were also present.
While visiting Bahrain, the Vatican Pope denounces “provoking wars.”
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