Pope urges Christian-Muslim dialogue
Best chance for peace, Benedict tells Turkish envoy
07 January, 18:43
(ANSA) - Vatican City, January 7 - Closer
dialogue between Christians and Muslims is the best way to
foster peace and promote trust, Pope Benedict XVI said on
Thursday.
Receiving Ankara's new ambassador to the Holy See, Kenan
Gursoy, the pontiff stressed the need for the Catholic Church
''to forge ahead with inter-faith dialogue in a spirit of mutual
respect and friendship''.
He recalled his own visit to Turkey in 2006, ''the first
papal visit to a Muslim-majority country'', saying he was
delighted at the opportunity to express his ''high regard for
Muslims''.
Benedict urged both Muslims and Christians around the world
to commit to ''mutual understanding that strengthens the bonds
of affection that unite us''.
The pontiff also offered a ''heartfelt prayer'' that
dialogue might ''bring about greater trust between individuals,
communities and peoples, particularly those in the troubled
Middle East area''.Benedict said Turkey was in the ideal position to help bring peace and stability to the Middle East and to act as a ''bridge between Islam and the West''.
He praised Ankara for its ''numerous efforts'' in this direction and said the Vatican would do whatever it could to support further attempts to end the conflict. ''The Holy See places a high priority on seeking out fair and lasting solutions to all conflicts in the region and is ready to offer its diplomatic resources in the service of peace and reconciliation,'' he added.
Benedict has worked hard to mend relations with Islam since he upset Muslims around the world with comments he made in 2006, during a lecture in Regensburg, Germany.
Detractors interpreted his reference to a medieval emperor, who described Islam as a 'violent' religion, as an indication of his own views. Since then, Benedict has stepped up efforts to make inter-religious dialogue a priority for his papacy In an effort to demonstrate his commitment to fostering goodwill among religions he re-established the Council for Interreligious Dialogue in 2007 after having merged it with the Council for Culture at the start of his pontificate.
In late 2008, the Holy See hosted a series of historic talks between prominent Muslim and Catholic scholars aimed at forging closer ties between the world's two largest religions.
During his trip to the Holy Land in May 2009, the pope expressed his ''profound respect for the Muslim community'' and called on an ''alliance of civilizations'' to end religious violence and conflict.
The Vatican also signed a declaration with the Arab League last April, agreeing to work for peace around the world, especially in the Middle East.
There are some two billion Christians worldwide, about half of whom are Catholics. Muslims number around 1.3 billion.
