Cardinal Sako: The visit of Pope Francis changed Iraq
On the third day of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) at Budapest, Hungary, Iraqi Cardenal Sako talked about how the Pope's historical visit changed the country.
Today, on the 7th of September, in the framework of the IEC, Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako shared his testimony at the Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center. He said that the Pope’s historical visit from last year had changed Iraq.
“The Pope touched the hearts of all Iraqis by his messages, especially Muslims. And now, something has changed in the streets, in the masses, among the population,” he commented.
“Christians are proud of that, they are also very appreciative.”
The Cardinal also recalled the landmark meeting between the Pope and Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
“I was with him in the visit to Ayatollah Sistani, the supreme Shiite authority. And the imam said something very important. He said: ‘You are Christians’ — that means, Christians and the Pope — ‘You are a part of us, and we are a part of you; that means we are brothers.’”
Source: Catholic News Agency