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POPE FRANCIS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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Abu Dhabi  ||  | 03 February 2019
Iniziative (EN) - Maison de la Paix (EN)

"It was a great emotion to see Pope Francis here in the United Arab Emirates - said President Michele Capasso - and with the Fondazione Mediterraneo we are happy to have been among the historical actors of this process. The 120 thousand Catholics who took part in the first open mass celebrated by a Pope in the Arabian peninsula on Tuesday morning are the clear demonstration of the success of Francis' trip to Abu Dhabi. More than solemn speeches and signatures in front of the flashes of photographers, it is the very presence of Francis in this land that is decisive. If the document on human brotherhood signed at the Founder's memorial really goes down in history, it will be seen over the years. In the document the good intentions are many and ambitious that if put into practice would certainly lead to universal peace. This will not happen and the signatories know it first. But it's something, a step. The developments will be seen in a month and a half, when Francesco will continue the tour in Islam by visiting Morocco ".

Memorable words of Pope Francis:

"Even today, in the name of God, in order to safeguard peace, we need to come together as one family into an ark that can sail the stormy seas of the world: the ark of brotherhood. ... Enemy of the brotherhood is individualism, which translates into the will to affirm oneself and one's group over others. It is a trap that threatens all aspects of life, even the highest and innate prerogative of man, that is, openness to transcendence and religiosity. True religiosity consists in loving God with all our heart and neighbor as ourselves. Religious conduct therefore needs to be continually purified by the recurring temptation to judge other enemies and adversaries. Each creed is called to overcome the gap between friends and enemies, to assume the perspective of Heaven, which embraces men without privileges and discrimination ".