Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "I hope that Francis will support peace throughout the world, especially in Syria, more than two years ravaged by civil war and the conflict between Alawites and Sunnis. We Syrian Muslims are here in Rome to give our greetings the new Pope and invite him not to forget Syria", Ali, a young Syrian Muslim student from Damascus tells AsiaNews. The boy, who arrived in St. Peter waving the Syrian flag together with a group of 30 fellow Syrians, has been in Rome for a few months. They point out that in these years of war, Pope Benedict XVI was the only figure who always remembered the suffering of Syrians to the world, and they hope that Francis will have the same sentiment and be an example for the Heads of State and Governments around the world.
"In Syria - says Ali - hatred is spreading between Sunnis and Shiites. The hope is that the new pope with his words of peace will be able to touch the hearts of all the fighting factions, pushing them to abandon their weapons and start a phase of reconciliation. Many Syrians do not support a government based on religion, like the extremists who want to work for the building of an Islamic state. "
"Millions of Syrians like me - he concludes - desire peace and respect between religions and are contrary to the attitude of many foreign countries that are taking advantage of our situation of instability, putting one faction against another. This is why we are here today in St. Peter's Square: to ask the pope to help us and support us in our country to spread a message of peace and put an end to this fratricidal war. "