Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) - Spiritual communion and collaboration between Christians and Muslims is very important for the future of society: with this spirit the Archdiocese of Ouagadougou opened its doors to the members of the "Islamic League for Peace in Faso" on the occasion of the celebrations for the end of Ramadan. As we learn from a note sent to Agenzia Fides, Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou, agreed to the request made by the same Islamic association, welcoming the Islamic faithful to the diocesan complex, who were greeted in an atmosphere of friendship and fraternity, by the Cardinal and the President of the Islamic League. At the end of the prayer, Cardinal Ouédraogo wished those present a happy end of Ramadan, recalling the "Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Common Coexistence" signed by Pope Francis and Amed Al Tayeb during the apostolic journey of the Holy Father in the United Arab Emirates. The Prelate underlined the importance of breaking down the walls of hatred to build bridges in the country marked by conflicts and violence: "We see this initiative as a path towards peace, as a real bridge. You have come to build a bridge that will lead us to a new Burkina Faso, a country reconciled in justice and in true and lasting peace", said the Cardinal. The president of the Islamic League for Peace in Burkina Faso, Ousséni Tapsoba, commented on the initiative as follows: "This moment, the first of its kind, reflects the desire to promote cohesion, political and social coexistence and the will to establish a fruitful dialogue between religions and in the entire Burkinabe society. The choice of the place where we celebrated the end of the fast was dictated by the commitment of Cardinal Ouédraogo himself, who has always been committed to the search for peace and brotherhood among sons and daughters of the same country". At the end of the initiative, the two leaders met personally for a fraternal confrontation, in order to strengthen interreligious dialogue in a country hit for several years by terrorist attacks, often of a jihadist nature. (EZ-LF) (Agenzia Fides, 17/5/2021)
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