Egyptian Catholic Church: Pope must go to Lebanon even if the situation is tense
September 13, 2012: "The Pope’s trip to Lebanon should remain on the agenda even
if the situation in the region is very tense. His visit is a great opportunity to
show that peace is the only possible alternative to hatred and war. Benedict XVI's
presence a few kilometers from Syria is a message of solidarity and dialogue for the
Middle East and the Christian and Muslim populations that are the protagonists of
the Arab Spring and the Islamic factions fighting each other." said Fr. Rafic Greiche,
spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church.
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood
have called the population to rally together on Sept. 14 against the satirical film
about Muhammad entitled "Innocence of Muslims" produced in the United States and released
in recent days on the internet in English and Arabic . Protests are still being held
in Cairo and Benghazi (Libya) against the film. Yesterday, an attack by Islamist militants
on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi killed the American ambassador in Libya and three
other officials of his staff.
The protests planned by Egyptian Islamists, could
also involve other Islamic countries. The date coincides with the visit of Benedict
XVI to Lebanon, to be held September 14 to 16. Fr. Greiche stresses that the protests
that took place in these days in front of the U.S. embassies in Cairo and Benghazi
have targeted the United States. "It is no coincidence - he says - that these events
have been organized on the day of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. For
many Islamists this was an opportunity to give greater echo to their voice. Nevertheless,
it should be noted that among the people who demonstrated outside the U.S. embassy
in Cairo, there were also several Coptic Christians. People protested against the
United States holding it responsible for this offensive film, not against Christians.
Countries that have lived under dictatorial regimes do not take freedom of expression
into consideration, they think that everything is scrutinized by the public authorities.
" Fr. Greiche explains that Christians respect all religions, this film does not represent
the thinking of the Christian community in Egypt. The film was made with the cooperation
of the Coptic Orthodox emigrants to the United States, but the Egyptian Coptic community
has denied any connection with these people.
However, the priest points out
that Muslims and the whole world rises up whenever Muhammad is offended, but the same
does not occur when other religious symbols, especially Christian, are the object
of contempt and insult from Islamic radicals in Egypt. "After the fall of Mubarak
- said Fr. Greiche - the Salafis and the Muslim Brotherhood have filled the newsstands
and shops with newspapers, magazines, books that contain entire passages against Christians.
Each week " The Voice of the People "contains as many as 10 pages full of insults
and attacks against Christians and this is common in other newspapers and televisions,
but nobody talks about it or is scandalized by it. "