Syrian Grand Mufti invites Pope, has wise words

http://www.zenit.org/article-23389?l=english

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Syrian Mufti Hopes Pope Visits for Pauline Year

Notes Wish That Vatican Can Help Bring Peace to Mideast

By Mirko TestaDAMASCUS, Syria, JULY 31, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The grand mufti of Syria is hoping for a visit from Benedict XVI during the Pauline Jubilee Year.

Ahmad Badr El Din El Hassoun invited the Pope to visit his country in the context of a meeting in Damascus with a group of journalists, on a trip following in the footsteps of the Apostle to the Gentiles.

"What I would like to say to the Holy Father is that at present, Damascus is the capital of Arab culture and, at the same time, the capital of the Year of St. Paul," Hassoun said. "I will be exceedingly happy if the Holy Father decides to accept our invitation to visit Syria in this year."

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The grand mufti also expressed the hope that "the Vatican might play a role in planting the flower of peace in the Middle East."

"Deep down, among religious intellectuals, there is no quarrel but dialogue and discussion," the Muslim leader contended. "And I hope that the Holy Father will play a fundamental part in the peace of the world."

The great mufti recalled Pope John Paul II's urgent appeal not to erect walls but build bridges of dialogue, in reference to the wall of separation built between Israel and Palestinian territories.

"The Vatican had a fundamental role in the fall of the Berlin Wall," he said, "and I hope it will be able to play a similar role to demolish the wall being built in the land of peace."

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These are very generous words and a very worthy and gracious example by a man of God toward another man of God. I would love to see such a dialogue and visit to take place!