Pope Francis has expressed his outrage over an incident in Sweden where a man burned a copy of the Quran.
In an exclusive interview with the UAE newspaper, Al-Ittihad, he emphasized that freedom of speech should not be a cover to disrespect others’ beliefs.
“Any book considered sacred by its people must be respected out of respect for its believers,” the Pope said. “Freedom of expression should never be used as an excuse to despise others.”
The incident took place in Stockholm last week, where a man ripped apart and set a Quran on fire in public.
Pope Francis also seized the opportunity to highlight the importance of the Document on Human Fraternity. He expressed that peace, reciprocal respect, and cooperation among different religions are crucial in today’s world. The Pope stressed the need to convert religious sentiments into tangible acts of goodwill.
“Our task,” Pope Francis stated, “is to transform the religious sense into cooperation, into fraternity, into concrete good works.”
Praising the efforts initiated following the Document’s publication, he emphasized benevolence should extend to all, irrespective of their beliefs. As a prime example of this philosophy, the Pope appreciated the Abrahamic House in Abu Dhabi, an interfaith space housing a church, mosque and synagogue.
The Pontiff’s firm condemnation of the Quran’s desecration acts as a strong signal to the world on the importance of mutual respect, peace, and interfaith cooperation.
Pray for interreligious dialogue!
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