Pope to visit Turkey despite proximity to war zones

(ANSA) - Rome, September 22 - Pope Francis says he will travel to Turkey, which borders conflict zones in Iraq and Syria, in November as he continues to preach his message of religious harmony and co-operation.
    "Geography cannot be changed," Francis said even as an estimated 130,000 refugees were pouring into eastern Turkey from Syria on the weekend, escaping the advance of ISIS militant terrorists.
    His comment came during a news conference Sunday on the pope's airplane as he returned to Vatican City from a one-day visit to Albania.
    There, he continued his theme of promoting unity among faiths as he praised Albania as a model - standing as a bright and positive opposite of the dark distortion of faith by extremists.
    "Religious freedom is a shared space, an atmosphere of respect and co-operation that must be built with everyone's participation, even those who have no religious convictions," Francis said.
    About 30% of the population in Albania is Christian. Francis indirectly condemned jihadists in ISIS for what he called "a distorted use of religion...unworthy of God or humanity".
    "Authentic religion is a source of peace and not of violence," said Francis during a meeting with Albanian religious leaders.
    "No one must use the name of God to commit violence! To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman," concluded the pope.
    He later told journalists that even though Albania has a Muslim majority, it is not a Muslim country, he said.
    "It is a European country," said Francis, who emphasized the cooperation among the three main faiths in the country: Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Catholicism.
    He also confirmed his plan to visit Turkey and to participate in the feast of St. Andrew, which he will celebrate in Istanbul with Patriarch Bartholomew on November 30.
    That will follow a visit to Strasbourg on November 25. Security around the pope and Vatican City has been heightened, sources said late last week, amid concerns that Francis may be a target of possible terrorist attacks.
    The sources said there have been no specific threats but rather a general heightening of concern.
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