Sam Glodoski
On February 5th, Pope Francis delivered a mass in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first ever pontiff to visit the Arabian peninsula. The historic even was attended by approximately 135,000 people total, including an estimated 4,000 Muslims. Although the UAE is more tolerant of non-Islam religions than other nations in the area, generally allowing religious freedom, it is still against the law to attempt to convert Muslims. While in Abu Dhabi, the Pope promoted messages of peace, acceptance, and unity, specifically mentioning the conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Libya. It should also be noted that the UAE still faces issues of Anti-Semitic discrimination, as well as similar intolerance of the Shi'a sect of Islam. In conclusion, although it is unlikely the visit will result in any major civil improvements in the UAE, it was historic and symbolically significant, hopefully paving the way for future reform efforts.
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/5/18211956/pope-francis-mass-united-arab-emirates-arab
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment