Pope condemns indifference to jihadist atrocities against Christians
Pope Francis condemned
indifference and “complicit silence” to jihadist attacks on Christians
as he presided over Easter ceremonies in the wake of a massacre of
nearly 150 people at a Kenyan university by Shebab Islamists.
The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics brought up the
extremist persecution of Christians as the holiest ceremonies of the
Church calendar reached a climax Sunday, when believers celebrate the
resurrection of Jesus.
The Islamists behind Thursday’s
university attack that shocked Kenya are reported to have separated out
their victims into Muslims and non-Muslims, before killing the
Christians.
“Today we see our brothers persecuted, decapitated, crucified for
their faith in you, under our eyes and often with our complicit
silence,” the pope said after the traditional Via Crucis (Way of the
Cross) procession through Rome on Friday, which recreates Christ’s last
hours before he was crucified.The Vatican has increasingly voiced frustration that attacks on Christians in places such as Iraq, Libya, Pakistan and Nigeria have not been more strongly condemned by Muslim authorities and Western governments.
In France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls tweeted on Saturday: “We have to give our total support to Eastern Christians who are the victims of barbarism.”
He made the comment after facing
criticism after a poster for concerts in support of Christian
communities in Syria and Iraq was banned from the Paris transport
system.
Comments
Post a Comment