Vatican responds to Makarem’s letter

Young journalists club

News ID: 5506
Iran » Iran
Publish Date: 7:44 - 16 November 2014
Tehran, YJC. Iranian ayatollah Makarem Shirazi’s letter to Pope Francis has been responded with a letter with the Catholic leader.

The letter from Vatican reads:

Your Excellency,

You kindly addressed to his Holiness Pope Francis a letter on 18 August 2014 (N. 4356-150137), firmly condemning the atrocities committed by the so-called "Islamic State,” in particular Christians, Yazidis and other religious and ethnic groups.

Pope Francis thanks you for your letter and for your position, because a clear stand by religious leaders against violence, especially the one committed in the name of a religion, is a must and a necessity. In fact, believers need and wait for a sound guidance from their religious leaders, especially in troubled times.

On the other hand, I agree with you that the condemnation of the injustices and atrocities that have taken place or may take place in the future, should be clear and unanimous, so as to give a credible witness to the fact that religions should promote justice, peace and fraternity.

May I assure you that the Catholic Church will continue under the guidance of Pope Francis to promote and defend human dignity and the rights deriving from it.

I take this occasion to send best wishes to you for peace and good health.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran

The head of the Vatican's Council for Interfaith Dialogue

21 October, 2014

In his letter, the Iranian ayatollah had called Takfiris "the greatest scourge of mankind today, regardless of their religion or nationality.” He said that Muslim scholars have been condemning Takfirism for many years and that three years ago he met with the head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council and pointed to the threat of Takfirism.

"The Holy Quran stipulates that the Prophet Muhammad (S) is a ‘mercy for all the Worlds.’ Unfortunately, many political and religious leaders of the world, were not only silent in response to the Takfiri phenomenon, but sometimes they supported and confirmed the actions of these terrorists,” wrote Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi, who is one of the greatest scholars of the Shi’ah school of thought.

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