Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Acre (Agenzia Fides) - Christianity began in the Middle East, it is not a "product of western import", and has given a major contribution to the development of Arab culture and the Arab-Islamic civilization. Even for this reason the presence of Christians in the Middle East must be safeguarded through instruments and measures that ensures them "human protection". This is the clear and concrete message that Prince Hassan of Jordan expressed during his intervention in Acre, on the occasion of the presentation of a book on the historical events of Arab Christians in the Middle East, written by Archimandrite George Agapios Abu Saada, a priest in the Greek-Melkite Catholic Archeparchy of Akka.
The book, presented on September 30 at the Orthodox Club of the Israeli city, also deals with emergencies that closely affect Christians in today's Middle East, overwhelmed by conflict and sectarian rifts, and the dangers they face today. During the event, organized in collaboration with the Royal Institute of Interfaith Studies (a body of dialogue chaired by Prince Hassan), Abu Saada, Greek-Melkite parish priest of the Cathedral of St. Elias in Haifa intervened, and condemned the Muslim world for its general silence before the violence and discrimination against Christians in the Middle East. "Until now", said Father Abu Saada, according to reports of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media "no Islamic authority has issued a religious ruling [fatwa] that prohibits the killing of Christians and non-Muslims". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 02/10/2015)
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