Vatican City ( AsiaNews) - Pope Francis has asked for prayers for reconciliation and peace in Iraq. At the end of today's general audience, in fact, the Pope said he was going to meet a delegation of representatives of the various religious bodies in the country.
"I invite you all- he added - to pray for the dear nation of Iraq, unfortunately affected daily by tragic episodes of violence, in order that Iraq might find the way that leads to reconciliation, peace, unity and stability."
And the Pope (in the photo with patriarch Sako ) has in fact met participants in a meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue with a delegation of Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Yazidi and Sabea civil authorities from the Ministry for Religious Affairs of Iraq .
The purpose of this initiative, a Vatican statement notes, is to launch a collaboration between the Vatican Council and Iraqi religious communities with a view to establishing a Standing Committee for dialogue.
