Pope seeks end to terrorism in Nigeria
POPE Benedict XVI on Tuesday called for
an end to “savage acts of terrorism” in Nigeria and the slaughter of the
“defenceless” in Syria.
Delivering the Vatican traditional
Christmas Day message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica,
the pontiff also called for the return of peace to Mali.
Delivering Christmas greetings in 65
languages, Benedict used the Biblical analogy of the “good soil” to
underscore his view that the hope represented by Christmas should never
die, even in the most dire situations.
The 85-year-old said, “This good earth
exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up!
Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust,
even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations.
“May the birth of Christ favour the
return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage
acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among
Christians.
“Yes, may peace spring up for the people
of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare
even the defenseless and reaps innocent victims.”
“Once again I appeal for an end to the
bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced,
and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict.”
In Nigeria, AFP reports that the
Islamist sect Boko Haram has killed hundreds in its campaign to impose
Sharia Law in the North, targeting a number of churches.
The group has often targeted churches in
its bloody insurgency, as well as police and other symbols of the
establishment in the North.
In Mali, a mix of Islamists with links
to al Qaeda have occupied the country’s north since April, destroying
much of the region’s religious heritage. They have also carried out
amputations to help impose strict Islamic law on a population that has
practiced a more moderate form of Islam for centuries.
The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion
Roman Catholics prayed for “Israelis and Palestinians (to be granted
the) courage to end long years of conflict and division, and to embark
resolutely on the path of negotiation.”
The Pope also prayed for “help and
comfort to the refugees from the east of the Democratic Republic of
Congo”, where a rebel campaign caused tens of thousands to flee their
homes, and peace in Kenya, “where brutal attacks have struck the
civilian population and places of worship”.
Benedict said, “May peace spring up in
the land where the Redeemer was born, and may he grant Israelis and
Palestinians courage to end long years of conflict and division and
embark resolutely on the path of negotiation.”
Regarding China, where there have been
tensions this year between the Catholic Church and Chinese authorities
over the oversight of church leaders there, Benedict called for expanded
freedom of religion.
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