Baghdad (AsiaNews) - With a heart bleeding "for the innocent who die or are driven from their homes," his thoughts turned to the "the situation in Iraq, Syria and Gaza" and full sadness for the timidity of the civilised world towards us" as well as the lack of action by the international community, Louis Sako, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans (Baghdad) wrote to Card Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon (France). His message will be heard today during a march organised by the diocese in solidarity with Iraqi Christians, whose fate has become tragic after the invasion of north central Iraq by the Islamic Army, which set up an Islamic Caliphate in Mosul, and issued in recent days an edict calling on Christians either convert to Islam, pay the dhimmi tax or abandon everything and flee.
Here is Mar Sako's message:
To His Eminence Cardinal
Philippe Barbarin
Archbishop of Lyon
Your Eminence, dear Father,
as my thoughts today turn to the situation in Iraq, Syria and Gaza-Palestine, my heart bleeds for the innocent who are dying or are being driven from their homes, and I am sad for the timidity of the civilised world towards us.
Dear Father,
your courage, prayer, and the closeness of those who are around you in this march of solidarity, keep alive in us the confidence and strength needed to hope.
Eastern Christianity must not disappear. Its disappearance is a mortal sin and a great loss to the Church and humanity. It must survive or better, it must live in freedom and dignity.
In this storm, may you and those who are with you accept the expression of my gratitude.
Forget us not!
Raphael Louis Sako
Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans
Baghdad, 24 July 2014