Pope John Paul II met on November 18 with a delegation of religious leaders from Azerbaijan
Published:
19 November 2004 y., Friday
Pope John Paul II met on November 18 with a delegation of religious leaders from Azerbaijan.
The Pope told his visitors that Christians, Jews, and Muslims should unite to end "the murderous violence" all over the world.
"No one has the right to present or use religion as an instrument of intolerance, as a means of aggression, of violence, of death," the pope told the group, Associated Press reported today.
Christians, Muslims and Jews must appeal together for an end to violence in the world "with justice for all," he said.
He mentioned specifically his hope "that peace returns to Azerbaijan, and that the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is soon resolved."
Armenia occupied former autonomous Nagorno-Karabakh region and also seven other Azerbaijani districts in 1991-94 war, forcing over 700,000 Azerbaijanis to leave their homes. Despite an armistice signed in May 1994, no final solution has been achieved to the conflict between the two countries.
John Paul II reminded the religious leaders-- representing the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities-- of his own trip to Azerbaidjan in 2002. He praised the Muslim majority of the former Soviet republic-- who constitute 98 percent of the population-- for their open attitude toward other faiths. And he sent his "affectionate greetings" to the country's tiny Catholic community, comprised of only about 300 people.
Šaltinis:
bakutoday.net
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza are married, but in Malawi homosexuality is banned.
more »
The World Bank today launched the fourth book in the critically acclaimed Moving Out of Poverty series, which provides bottom up perspectives on poverty and local realities by over 60,000 people living in 500 communities in 15 countries.
more »
Ten years ago, European leaders pledged to end poverty in the EU by 2010. As this deadline approaches, the goal is still some way off.
more »
For many 2009 will be a historic year with the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the outcome of the Copenhagen summit and the inauguration of the first black US president.
more »
Not answering the phone, celebrating Hogmanay and reading Dickens' Christmas Carol are just three seasonal traditions that MEPs shared with us.
more »
More and more people make their homes and own property in EU countries other than the one in which they hold citizenship.
more »
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek has made an televised Christmas and New Year address to European citizens, looking ahead to the challenges of the coming year.
more »
Lithuania takes the 1st position in the EU by the number of students in the country.
more »
Sergei Kovalev, former political prisoner turned activist for Russian human rights group Memorial gave an emotional and heartfelt address to the European Parliament on Wednesday 16 December.
more »
Strengthened passenger rights for travel by bus are an important item on the agenda when the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) meets on 17–18 December.
more »