Amman (AsiaNews) Mgr Fernando Filoni, Apostolic Nuncio in Jordan, delivered an important speech full of hope and confidence for the future of Christians in the Middle East. His words opened the Assembly of the seven Eastern Catholic Patriarchs: Latin Michel Sabbah, Maronite Nasrallah Sfeir, Melkite Gregorius III Lahham, Coptic Stephanos Ghattas, Chaldean Emmanuel Delly, Syriac Ignace Pierre VIII Abdel Ahad and Armenian Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni. "Justice and peace" is the main topic of the gathering, which ends next Saturday.
Maronite Patriarch, Card Nasrallah Sfeir, told AsiaNews that this meeting comes at "a critical time not only for the Mid East" since there is much talk "about clashes between different cultures, especially between Christians and Muslims".
He also repeated his condemnation of the recent terrorist attack that killed many people in Jordan.
Cardinal Sfeir said he would meet Jordanian leaders for religious-political talks as well as see Maronite faithful living in the kingdom (no more than 2,000).
He will preside over the brick-laying ceremony for the construction of the Maronite Cathedral of Saint Charbel. The building will rise on land donated to the Maronite Patriarchate by the late king Hussein in 1998.
Patriarch Sfeir expressed appreciation for Syria's decision to allow the international commission of inquiry to interrogate five Syrian officials. This shows that "no state can refuse to abide by the demands of the international community," he said.
He urged the Lebanese and Syrian governments to start delineating the final boundaries between the two countries, "a process that started back in 1960".
He also said he was in favour of re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries "as soon as possible".
Finally, Patriarch Sfeir once more urged everyone "to listen to the language of reason and uphold everyone's right to liberty, justice and peace".
For his part, Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel Delly reiterated his Church' will to implement the recent decisions taken at the Synod held in Rome. He insisted as well that the people of Iraq like the people of other countries in the East need the opportunity to live and express their Christian faith "without fear or persecution".
He said he hoped the Patriarchs' Assembly will go well since it involves a topic that profoundly touches all. "In the East we suffer from the lack, if not the absence of justice and peace," he noted.
For Coptic Patriarch Ghattas, there is a "need to ensure that all Christians in the East have confidence in their future; otherwise, they'll be gone and the East will be empty of its people".