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Pope Meets with Yezidi Leaders
Thursday, January 8th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/130510/pope-meets-with-yezidi-leaders/
Pope Francis delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and to the
world) blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on
Christmas Day. (Photo: AP \ Alessandra Tarantino)
VATICAN CITY--Thursday morning, Pope Francis received in audience a
delegation from the World Community of Yezidis. The group was led by
the Head of all the Yezidis, Mir Tahsin Said Ali Beg, and their
supreme spiritual leader, the 'Baba Sheikh', Sheikh Khato, both
residents in Iraqi Kurdistan. The group also comprised three
representatives of the Yezidis of northern Iraq, Georgia and the
diaspora in Germany.
During the meeting, which lasted approximately half an hour and took
place in the private library of the Apostolic Palace, the delegation
thanked the Pope - indicated by one of the delegates as the "father of
the poor" -for his support for the Yezidis in this time of persecution
and suffering. They informed the Pope of the situation of around 5,000
Yezidi women reduced to slavery by ISIS, and emphasized the good
relations between Yezidis and Christians, stressing their mutual
solidarity.
Pope Francis assured the delegates of his spiritual closeness and his
support in these challenging times, and expressed his hope that soon
it will be possible to restore justice and the conditions for a free
and peaceful life for the Yezidis, as well as all other minority
groups who are the object of discrimination and violence.
There are around one and a half million Yezidis throughout the world,
of whom half a million are in Iraq; there are others in Turkey,
Georgia, Armenia, and in many other countries.
Yezidis are a Kurdish-speaking people who follow an ancient religion
blending elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity and local
folk beliefs.
At their unique conical temples, Yezidis worship a peacock deity
called Melek Taus and hold elaborate ceremonies that involve fire and
water.
The pope has spoken out several times in support of thousands of
Yezidi people who, like their Christian neighbors, have been forced to
flee their homes due to the wave of Islamist violence sweeping through
Iraq and Syria.
Last month, the pope delivered a video message in support of tens of
thousands of minority Yezidi and Christian refugees who fled Islamic
State militants in August, many of them trapped on a mountain before
they escaped to the Iraqi city of Irbil.
"Christians and Yezidis have been forced out of their homes, they have
had to abandon everything to save their lives, but they have not
denied their faith," Francis said at the time. "As religious leaders,
we are obliged to denounce all violations of the human dignity."
From: Baghdasarian
Thursday, January 8th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/130510/pope-meets-with-yezidi-leaders/
Pope Francis delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and to the
world) blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on
Christmas Day. (Photo: AP \ Alessandra Tarantino)
VATICAN CITY--Thursday morning, Pope Francis received in audience a
delegation from the World Community of Yezidis. The group was led by
the Head of all the Yezidis, Mir Tahsin Said Ali Beg, and their
supreme spiritual leader, the 'Baba Sheikh', Sheikh Khato, both
residents in Iraqi Kurdistan. The group also comprised three
representatives of the Yezidis of northern Iraq, Georgia and the
diaspora in Germany.
During the meeting, which lasted approximately half an hour and took
place in the private library of the Apostolic Palace, the delegation
thanked the Pope - indicated by one of the delegates as the "father of
the poor" -for his support for the Yezidis in this time of persecution
and suffering. They informed the Pope of the situation of around 5,000
Yezidi women reduced to slavery by ISIS, and emphasized the good
relations between Yezidis and Christians, stressing their mutual
solidarity.
Pope Francis assured the delegates of his spiritual closeness and his
support in these challenging times, and expressed his hope that soon
it will be possible to restore justice and the conditions for a free
and peaceful life for the Yezidis, as well as all other minority
groups who are the object of discrimination and violence.
There are around one and a half million Yezidis throughout the world,
of whom half a million are in Iraq; there are others in Turkey,
Georgia, Armenia, and in many other countries.
Yezidis are a Kurdish-speaking people who follow an ancient religion
blending elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity and local
folk beliefs.
At their unique conical temples, Yezidis worship a peacock deity
called Melek Taus and hold elaborate ceremonies that involve fire and
water.
The pope has spoken out several times in support of thousands of
Yezidi people who, like their Christian neighbors, have been forced to
flee their homes due to the wave of Islamist violence sweeping through
Iraq and Syria.
Last month, the pope delivered a video message in support of tens of
thousands of minority Yezidi and Christian refugees who fled Islamic
State militants in August, many of them trapped on a mountain before
they escaped to the Iraqi city of Irbil.
"Christians and Yezidis have been forced out of their homes, they have
had to abandon everything to save their lives, but they have not
denied their faith," Francis said at the time. "As religious leaders,
we are obliged to denounce all violations of the human dignity."
From: Baghdasarian