Pope Francis visit to foster interfaith dialogue

TDT | Manama                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The world descends on Bahrain as Pope Francis will arrive in Bahrain today as part of his historic four-day visit. The pontiff is arriving at the invitation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Pope Francis will be attending many meetings including the closing ceremony of the first-ever “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence”.

It will also be attended by Al Azhar Grand Imam Dr Shaikh Ahmad Al Tayyeb, and 200 religious figures from across the world. Pope Francis, on Tuesday, spoke to the people gathered in St Peter’s Square about his Apostolic Journey to the Kingdom.

“It will be a journey under the banner of dialogue,” he said. The Holy Father said that during his trip he will ‘have the opportunity to engage with religious representatives, particularly Islamic.’ After the Forum for Dialogue, the Pope will meet with Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, and hold an audience with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders.

These encounters will be followed by an ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace with members of various Christian denominations, at the Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali. The Pope concluded his address by asking for prayers for his journey.

“I ask everyone to accompany me with prayer, so that every meeting and event might be a fruitful opportunity to promote, in the name of God, the cause of fraternity and peace, which our times so desperately and urgently need.”

The Pope also used the period after the Angelus to ask for prayers for Ukraine, a request he has made continually since the outbreak of war in the country. “Dear brothers and sisters, please, let us not forget martyred Ukraine,” he said. ‘Let us pray for peace; let us pray that there might be peace in Ukraine.”

‘War-free Middle East’

Pope Francis’ aim to seek a ‘war-free Middle East’, Union of Catholic Asian News earlier reported. “The Supreme Pontiff was supposed to visit Bahrain as early as 2014 after the first meeting at the Vatican between Pope Francis and King Hamad.

“But the United Arab Emirates visit came first. The Pope signed the Declaration for Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together along with Shaikh Ahmed Al Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on Feb 4, 2019. His Majesty King Hamad has endorsed the Document on Human Fraternity as a major milestone to foster religious harmony,” the report said.

The report also praises the Kingdom for “being the greatest nation of tolerance in the whole region and world”. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met Pope Francis during His Majesty’s visit to the Vatican on May 19, 2014.

During the occasion, His Majesty also held talks with the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and the former Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti. According to a Holy See Press Office statement at the time, cordial discussions between the Bahraini King and the Pope focused on various themes of common interest, “with particular reference to the commitment towards peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as the promotion of dialogue and peaceful co-existence among all members of society.”

Mention was also made of the Christian community’s positive contribution to the country, and “appreciation was expressed for His Majesty’s personal interest in the needs of the local Catholic community”