Rearmament takes world ‘to the edge of a precipice’, says pope in Bahrain

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Pope Francis on Friday called on religious authorities in Bahrain to help bring the world back from ‘the edge of a precipice’ and oppose a new arms race that the pontiff says is reshaping spheres of influence. formed during the Cold War period.

To a Muslim council in Sakhir, he spoke about the responsibility of religious leaders to promote peace, disarmament and social justice and warned of instability in the world.

“After two terrible world wars, a Cold War that for decades kept the world suspended, catastrophic conflicts in all parts of the world and amid accusations and threats, we remain on the edge of a delicate precipice. And we do not want to fall,” Francis said. in the courtyard of the royal palace.

The pontiff arrived in the country on Thursday (3) and should leave on Sunday (6). On Friday, he closed a forum for dialogue between West and East led by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalif — unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, Christians can practice their faith publicly and attend churches in Bahrain.

Without naming names, but in a veiled reference to the Ukrainian War, the pope condemned the scenario in which “some powers are involved, in an obstinate effort by partisan interests, reviving an obsolete rhetoric, redesigning spheres of influence and opposing blocks”.

Francis advocates a total ban on nuclear weapons and condemns the global arms market. On Friday, he also said that religious leaders cannot support wars, a jab at the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Cyril – a supporter of Putin and the invasion of Ukraine and already criticized by the pope before.

Again without naming the horse, the pontiff rebuked the financing of terrorism and, addressing the Muslim council, praised leaders who “see in extremism a danger that erodes genuine religion” and called for more dialogue between Islam and other doctrines. . “We need to offer a future of brotherhood ahead of a past of antagonism, overcoming historical prejudices and misunderstandings in the name of the One who is the source of peace”, said the Catholic leader. Then, to illustrate the desired brotherhood, a boy recited a verse from the Koran and a girl read a passage from the Bible.

Francis later led a prayer at Our Lady of Arabia church, the second largest in the Arabian Peninsula and one of two that serve the Bahraini community of 160,000 Christians. The cathedral was built on land donated by the king, and one of the monarch’s sons received the pontiff in the church.

This is the second trip by a pope to the Arabian Peninsula — the first, also made by Francis, was in 2019, to the United Arab Emirates — and is part of a policy of strengthening ties with the Islamic world. About ten predominantly Muslim states have already welcomed the current pope.

The pontiff’s visit drew attention to the conflicts between the Bahraini regime and the country’s Shia community, responsible for leading pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring in 2011. At the time, the demonstrations were suppressed with the help of Saudi Arabia. and the United Arab Emirates.

Since then, the monarchy has arrested thousands of protesters and journalists. In recent years, the country has resumed the death penalty; since 2017, according to the NGO Human Rights Watch, six prisoners have been sentenced to capital punishment and another 26 are awaiting confirmation from the king to carry out the sentence.

Although Catholics represent a tiny minority — about 70 percent of Bahrain’s population is Muslim — the country was home to the first Catholic church built in the Gulf area in modern times.

On Saturday, the pope is due to say a mass for about 30,000 people at the National Stadium in Bahrain.

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