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world news Diabierna 2 Juli 2021

Pope: Lebanon must remain a 'land of tolerance, pluralism'

(AP) — Pope Francis insisted particularly dangerous for the contin-
Thursday that Lebanon must re- ued presence of its Christian com-
main a “land of tolerance and munity, a bulwark for the church in
pluralism” as he welcomed the the Mideast.
country’s Christian patriarchs to
the Vatican to pray for an end to Lebanon is going through an un-
the economic and political crisis precedented economic and financial
that has thrown the country into collapse, coupled with an 11-month
chaos and threatened its Chris- political deadlock over the formation
tian community. of a new government. The develop-
ments pose the gravest threat to its
Francis presided over an evening stability since the end of its civil war
prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica three decades ago. It is also trying to
with the leaders of Lebanon’s Chris- recover from the devastating Beirut
tian churches, which featured prayers port explosion last summer — and
and hymns in Arabic, Syriac, Arme- the coronavirus pandemic.
nian and Chaldean. Members of the
Lebanese community in Rome and Francis invited the religious leaders on all Lebanese to preserve their co-
the diplomatic corps filled the pews. for a day of prayer that began with existence. The crisis, Gallagher said, “risks de-
a silent meditation at the tomb of stroying the internal balance and
During the service, Francis insisted the Apostle Peter and was followed “It is no surprise that the pontiff keeps Lebanon’s own reality, putting at risk
that Lebanon’s vocation was to be by closed-door talks about how to it in his heart through this invite to the Christian presence in the Middle
an “oasis of fraternity where differ- help Lebanon emerge from what the 10 spiritual leaders with the aim of East.”
ent religions and confessions meet, World Bank has described as likely to getting Lebanon through its difficult
where different communities live be one of the worst crises the world reality,” he tweeted Thursday, repeat- Noting the potential for Lebanon to
together, putting the common good has witnessed over the past 150 years. ing the words of St. John Paul II that fall into conflict, he said the country
before their individual interests.” “Lebanon is more than a country, it is must be helped economically and to
In his final remarks at the ecumenical a message.” keep the peace, saying it “remains the
“Lebanon cannot be left prey to the prayer service, Francis urged political final vanguard of an Arab democracy
course of events or (to) those who leaders to find solutions and appealed The Vatican’s foreign minister, Arch- that welcomes, recognizes and co-
pursue their own unscrupulous in- to the international community to bishop Paul Gallagher, was blunt in exists with a plurality of ethnic and
terests,” he said. “It is a small yet great help the country recover. explaining the Holy See’s “strong religious communities that in other
country, but even more, it is a univer- concern about the collapse of the countries aren’t able to live in peace.”
sal message of peace and fraternity “Stop using Lebanon and the Middle country” during a briefing with jour-
arising from the Middle East.” East for outside interests and profits!” nalists last week. “It must be helped to maintain this
he said. “The Lebanese people must unique identity, to ensure a pluralist,
The Mediterranean nation of 6 mil- be given the opportunity to be the He said Francis had invited the reli- tolerant and diversified Middle East,”
lion, including an estimated 1 million architects of a better future in their gious leaders to Rome in an acknowl- he said.
refugees, has the largest percentage of land, without undue interference.” edgment that the Christian commu-
Christians in the Middle East and is nity had been particularly hard-hit by Francis has said he hopes to visit Leb-
the only Arab country with a Chris- Embattled Prime Minister-designate the crisis, which has sent the well-ed- anon once a government is formed.
tian head of state. Christians make Saad Hariri, who met with Francis at ucated middle classes fleeing power Gallagher said if that happens soon,
up a third of the population, and the the Vatican in April, said from Beirut cuts, fuel shortages, soaring prices Francis could make a trip early next
Vatican fears the country’s collapse is that he hoped the meeting would call and now sporadic acts of violence. year.

France, Mexico sign deal against trafficking in artifacts

(AP) — France and Mex- that the Mexican foreign a complaint with the French accompanies us and supports
ico signed an agreement minister called an impor- Details of the deal weren’t government against a big this initiative despite our le-
Thursday on cooperating tant step toward recover- immediately released. auction of pre-Hispanic gal systems being very differ-
against the trafficking of ing and protecting Mexi- sculptures and other artifacts ent. We haven’t always shared
cultural artifacts, a deal co’s cultural heritage. It came after Mexico lodged by Christie’s of Paris earlier the same posture, but this
this year. Paris auction hous- agreement is very positive.”
es often sell Indigenous arti-
facts that are already on the He said the agreement in-
art market, despite protests cludes mechanisms “to im-
from activists who say they pede in the maximum way
should be returned to their possible the commercializa-
native lands. tion – which is illegal – of
pieces that are important for
In signing the cooperation the historical and cultural
agreement, the French and patrimony of Mexico.”
Mexican foreign ministers
acknowledged Thursday that The Mexican National In-
their countries have different stitute of Anthropology and
laws around cultural objects History protested the Chris-
but promised to work to- tie’s Paris sale earlier this
gether in the future to fight year. The collection included
trafficking of artwork. a 1,500-year-old stone mask
from the ancient city of Teo-
“The recuperation and pro- tihuacan, and an ancient stat-
tection of our cultural goods ue of the fertility goddess Ci-
is a huge issue for us,” Mexi- huateotl, apparently from the
can Foreign Minister Mar- Totonac culture. The auction
celo Ebrard said. “I am happy brought in more than $3 mil-
that on this occasion France lion.