The document “On human brotherhood in the name of peace and peaceful coexistence” signed by Pope Francis and the supreme imam of the oldest and largest Islamic university Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed at-Teyib in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which affirms the principle of peaceful coexistence religions and the prevention of extremism on religious grounds, prepared for a long time and kept secret. The pontiff told about this to the journalists of his press pool on board the plane on the way from Iraq.
“The Abu Dhabi document was being prepared in secret for six months, in prayer and meditation. This was the first step, we can say that now the second has followed (the Pope means a meeting with the leader of the Iraqi Shiites Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani – ed. .), and there will be others, no less important in the direction of brotherhood, “the pontiff is quoted by TASS.
Francis pointed out that the Abu Dhabi Declaration should be read in conjunction with the All Brothers encyclical released last year and inspired by the Brotherhood Document. “They are going in the same direction. People are brothers in religion and equal in origin. I think this is also a matter of cultural mentality,” Francis said.
“Sometimes you have to take risks to take a step,” the pontiff continued. “Some criticize that the Pope takes steps against Catholic doctrine, but these decisions are always made in prayer, in dialogue, in meditation, this is not a whim. This line was indicated at the Second Vatican Council “.
During his first visit to Iraq in the history of the papacy, Francis met with the leader of the Iraqi Shiites, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The Pope called him “the wise man of God.” In relation to the head of the Catholics, al-Sistani showed great respect. “You know that he never gets up to greet someone. He got up with me twice,” the pontiff said. “Our meeting enlightened my soul,” Francis admitted.