Pope expresses his sorrow over Mosul murders

Published: 14 March 2010

VATICAN CITY (CNS): Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his deep concern and sorrow over the continuing wave of violence against Christians in Mosul, Iraq.

Vatican Radio and the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reported on February 24 that although the Pope was on retreat and not speaking publicly, he expressed his sorrow that "in the area of Mosul, the killing of Christians continues".

Earlier that day, funerals were celebrated for the murdered father and two brothers of a Syrian Catholic priest Fr Mazen Ishoa, who himself had been kidnapped and released in 2007.

Murdered in their home on February 23, the three deaths brought to seven the number of Christians murdered in Mosul in a 10-day period.

Publishing the Pope's reaction to the murders, the Vatican newspaper also published for the first time a letter sent in January to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

The cardinal told the Prime Minister that the Pope had asked him to write and express his "sincere solidarity" with Mr al-Maliki and other leaders after a series of attacks on government buildings and on places of worship, both Muslim and Christian.

"He prays with fervour for an end to the violence and asks the Government to do everything possible to increase security around all places of worship throughout the country," Cardinal Bertone wrote.

Syrian Catholic Archbishop Georges Casmoussa of Mosul told Vatican Radio on February 24 that the region's Catholic and Orthodox bishops had met and had scheduled a series of special prayer services for March 7, the date of scheduled parliamentary elections in Iraq.

In addition, he said, "as a protest, the following Sunday (March 14) we will not celebrate Masses in the city of Mosul and, in this way, we will send a message to the Government".

"In every election there are some troubles," Archbishop Casmoussa said, "but not to the point of killing people, particularly Christians. The Christians were killed not because of their politics, but because they are Christians."

The Vatican nuncio to Iraq Archbishop Francis Chullikatt told Vatican Radio on February 25 that Christians have been in Iraq for 2000 years, so "any attempt to decrease the Christian presence or, worse, to destroy the Christian presence in Iraq would mean destroying the history of the Iraqi nation".

The archbishop said all the Christian churches and Christian leaders in the country were involved in inter-religious dialogue and were in constant contact with Muslim leaders.

"I have just received a delegation of Sunni and Shiite leaders who came to the nunciature to express their solidarity in these difficult times for Christians, especially in Mosul," he said.

Archbishop Chullikatt said international solidarity was crucial for the survival of Iraq's minorities, "especially the Christians who are most exposed to the kind of violence taking place now, particularly in Mosul".