Church leaders follow Egypt's unrest with concern

(February 01, 2011) Church leaders were watching the unfolding political drama in Egypt with a mixture of hope for reform and concern over potential violence, said the head of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa told Vatican Radio recently that the widespread unrest that has weakened the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak, came as a surprise to Catholics in the region. "We all sense that these are epochal changes. None of us would have imagined these kinds of developments a few months ago," he said. "This means that there are currents, especially in the Arab world, that now have found visible expression. This is certainly a positive sign, but it's also worrying and we hope it will end with the least possible amount of violence and bloodshed, he added.
Fr. Pizzaballa who spoke on a church sponsored day of prayer for peace in the Holy Land said he hoped that respect for religious minorities will be preserved in Egypt. He said real freedom in the Middle East needs to include religious freedom, access to places of worship and holy places, and freedom of religious expression.