French cardinal brings papal message of support to Iraq’s Christians

December 09, 2014

As Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon visited Christians in Iraq on December 6, Pope Francis said in a video message that their experience was akin to martyrdom.

Cardinal Barbarin traveled to Erbil, now home to an estimated 60,000 of the 120,000 Christians who fled their homes in the wake of the advance of the Islamic State.

“Christians are being driven out of the Middle East, with suffering,” said the Pope. “I thank you for the witness you give, and there is a great deal of suffering in your witness.”

“Particular concern is caused by the fact that above all, due to an extremist and fundamentalist group, entire communities, especially, but not only Christians and Yazidi, have suffered and continue to suffer inhuman violence because of their religious and ethnic identity,” he added. “Christians and Yazidis have been forced out of their homes, they have had to abandon everything to save their lives, but they have not denied their faith … As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations of the dignity and rights of humanity.”

 

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Further information:

• Videomessaggio di Papa Francesco ai cristiani di Mosul profughi ad Erbil (Holy See Press Office)
• Zenit translation