Pope expresses gratitude to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi for his letter to Vatican

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Pope Francis has send a letter to respond Ayat. Makarem Shirazi's letter earlier in August who cherished Pope’s position on Islam.

Mehr News has been informed that Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic world, expressed gratitude to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi for his letter to Vatican.

In response to the recent letter by Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi to Pope Francis in which the senior Shia cleric thanked Pope for his stance on Islam and the fact that Islam did not equal terrorism, Vatican sent an official letter stating:

“Pope Francis was pleased upon receiving your eminence’s letter and expressed his gratitude,” reads the letter, “as his eminence, Ayatollah Makarem is already aware, the message of all religions, particularly monotheistic religions, is primarily the absolute worship of God by mankind in addition to expressing love and respect for all the people with whom we interact. Therefore, administering violence, especially when carried out under the name of God or religion, is considered as a major insult to God almighty, it is further a form of great injustice against the oppressed,” Pope said in the letter.

“Therefore, present religious leaders of the world need to stand united, more than ever before, to voice their support for the entitlement of every human being to their dignity and legitimate rights,” it concluded.

During his Poland, visit, Pope Francis had asserted that Islam had nothing to do with terrorism and violence and no divine religion should be associated with such terms.



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