Vatican Calls on Muslim Leaders to Condemn Christian Persecution in Iraq

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Aug 13, 2014

Vatican Calls on Muslim Leaders to Condemn Christian Persecution in Iraq

The Vatican has urged Muslim leaders to condemn the persecution of Christians and religious minorities in Iraq reports the Guardian

The Islamic State has terrorized the region by ordering religious minorities to either convert to Islam or face “death by the sword.” 100,000 Christians have reportedly been forced out of their homes to flee the violence and persecution. 

In a statement, the Vatican’s department of inter-religious dialogue said, "The dramatic situation of the Christians, the Yazidis, and other minority religious and ethnic communities in Iraq demands that religious leaders, and above all Muslim religious leaders, people engaged in inter-religious dialogue and all people of good will take a clear and courageous stance. All must be unanimous in their unambiguous condemnation of these crimes and denounce the invoking of religion to justify them."

The Vatican also implied that it would consider severing ties with Muslim leaders who did not condemn the horrific acts of religious persecution in the region. 

The statement continued, “Otherwise, what credibility will religions, their followers and their leaders, have? What credibility could the inter-religious dialogue [which has been] patiently pursued in recent years have?"

Cardinal Fernando Filoni has been named by Pope Francis as an envoy to Iraq, as world leaders call for the Islamic State’s persecution to stop. 

Publication date: August 13, 2014



Vatican Calls on Muslim Leaders to Condemn Christian Persecution in Iraq