” “"A friendly greeting to the Muslims of the whole world who over these days are celebrating the end of the month-long fasting of Ramadan. I wish serenity and peace to everyone": these are the words addressed yesterday by Benedict XVI to the Islamic world at the end of the Angelus prayer. The Pope highlighted that "the news coming from Iraq about the extremely serious situation of insecurity and the savage violence to which a huge number of innocent people are exposed just because they are Shiites, Sunnis or Christians dramatically clash with this joyous climate". "I can feel he went on the keen concern of the Christian community and I would like to assure you that I am close to it, as well as to all the victims, and for all of them I beg strength and consolation. In addition I invite you to join my plea to the Almighty that He may give the local and international religious and political leaders the faith and courage they need to help that population along the way of the reconstruction of its homeland, in the search of shared balances, in mutual respect, in the awareness that the multiplicity of its components is an integral part of its wealth".” “
