Francis set off on historic journey

Pope Francis is broken on Sunday a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates. Prior to his departure, the head of the Catholic Church reiterated its desire to dialogue with Muslims to expand.

at the same time he addressed an urgent appeal to the warring parties in Yemen to support the peace efforts. The Emirates are in Yemen, part of the Saudi Arabia-led military Alliance against the Shiite rebels.

with 700 religious representatives

Francis, the first Catholic Church, head of the Arab visited the Peninsula, and thus the cradle of the Islam . The highlight of his Tuesday-long visit to his participation in an interfaith Meeting in Abu Dhabi. To him around 700 religious representatives take part on Monday, including a carrier, patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic churches as well as rabbis from several Western States would be a Muslim.

Behind the event, the Islamic Council of Elders, an Association based in the UAE, which promotes a tolerant Islam is. The dialogue with Islam is one for Francis, one of the priorities of his pontificate.

Sensitive issues

International human rights organisations hope that the Pope in Abu Dhabi also deals with sensitive issues: According to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch called on the Sunday morning, the 82-year-old Pontiff Maximus, the human rights violations in Yemen's war address.

Shortly before his departure, Pope Francis expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country. "The population is exhausted by the long conflict, and many children suffer from Hunger, but the access to the grocery stores is not possible. The cry of these children and their parents are rising to God," he said in Rome. He appealed to the warring parties to promote "the observance of the agreements made urgent".

conflicts in Yemen

Yemen fights for 2015 troops of President Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi, with the support of the Arab military Alliance against the Shiite rebels. More than 10'000 people have already been killed, among them thousands of civilians.

the rebels and the government had agreed in December in Sweden under the UN brokering a cease-fire for the port city of Hodeida, a large part of the aid for the starving population comes into the country. Since then, however, the diplomatic efforts occur largely on the spot.

hours before the Arrival of the Pope in the United Arab Emirates late on Sunday evening (19.00 CET) formed in the queues of believers in front of St. Joseph Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, to gain a space for the exhibition of the Pope on Tuesday. To be the big event more than 130'000 people in the stadium expected.

The UAE is regarded as relatively liberal. In contrast to other Arab States such as Saudi Arabia, Christian churches are tolerated, public fairs, however, are frowned upon. That the Pope is permitted to celebrate the divine service in the sports stadium, is considered to be the exception.

In Abu Dhabi, with around one Million Catholics, or about ten percent of the population. In the case of the most are guest workers from Asia. (nag/AFP)

Created: 03.02.2019, 16:35 PM