During early March Pope Francis held a historic meeting with Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, making a powerful appeal for peace in a country torn by sectarianism and violence. Their meeting in the holy city of Najaf was the first time a Pope has met with such a senior Shia cleric since the 7th century. Pope Francis condemned violent religious extremism during an interfaith prayer service at the site of the ancient city of Ur, where the Prophet Abraham is thought to have been born. ‘We believers cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion,” he told the congregation, which included members of religious minorities persecuted under the Islamic State group’s three-year rule of much of northern Iraq. The pope urged Iraq’s Muslim and Christian religious leaders to put aside animosities and work together for peace and unity. “This is true religiosity: to worship God and to love our neighbour,” he told the gathering. – Dr Greta Sykes
Author: markulyseas
Mark Ulyseas has served time in advertising as copywriter and creative director selling people things they didn’t need, a ghost writer for some years, columnist of a newspaper, a freelance journalist and photographer. In 2009 he created Live Encounters Magazine, in Bali, Indonesia. It is a not for profit (adfree) free online magazine featuring leading academics, writers, poets, activists of all hues etc. from around the world. March 2016 saw the launch of its sister publication Live Encounters Poetry, which was relaunched as Live Encounters Poetry & Writing in March 2017. The third monthly publication, LE Children Poetry & Writing, was released in January 2019. The fourth monthly publication, Live Encounters Books, was released in August 2020. Mark believes that knowledge is power and empowerment. Therefore, it must be free and shared freely to empower all. His is author of three books – RAINY: My Friend & Philosopher, Seductive Avatars of Maya: Anthology of Dystopian Lives, and, In Gethsemane: Transcripts of a Journey.