Pope Francis said there is a “terrible air of tension” in many parts of the world. “I call upon all parties to fan the flame of dialogue and self-control, and to banish the shadow of enmity,” he said.
“War brings only death and destruction.”
On Saturday, Patriarch Louis Rafaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq, issued a strong appeal on Saturday in the wake of the U.S. drone strike in Baghdad which killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and the protests which followed.
“Iraqis are still shocked by what happened last week. It is deplorable that our country should be transformed into a place where scores are settled, rather than being a sovereign nation, capable of protecting its own land, its own wealth, its own citizens. In the face of this delicate and dangerous situation, we implore all the parties involved to exercise moderation, to demonstrate wisdom, to act reasonably and to sit down at the negotiating table to dialogue and seek understanding so that this country might be spared unimaginable consequences.”
Via Vatican News
