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Pope Francis visits Albania, denounces use of religion as pretext for violence

During a one-day visit to Albania on Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about religious tolerance, and applauded the former communist country for its current "climate of respect and mutual trust between Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims."

By JC Finley
Pope Francis, pictured in May, visited Albania on September 21, 2014. (UPI/Yedioth Ahronoth/Pool)
Pope Francis, pictured in May, visited Albania on September 21, 2014. (UPI/Yedioth Ahronoth/Pool) | License Photo

ROME, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Pope Francis visited the mostly Muslim country of Albania over the weekend, where he spoke of religious freedom and denounced the use of religion as a pretext for violence.

"Authentic religion is a source of peace and not of violence," the Holy Father said at a gathering of different religious communities' leaders at the Catholic University of Tirana on Sunday. "To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman."

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Pope Francis reiterated that message to the president, government, civil authorities and diplomatic corps of Albania.

"Let no one consider themselves to be the 'armor' of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression! May no one use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman, above all, the right to life and the right of everyone to religious freedom!"

Albania, the pope remarked, is evidence that there can be peaceful coexistence of different religious communities. "The climate of respect and mutual trust between Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims is a precious gift to the country." According to the CIA World Factbook, 56.7 percent of the population is Mulsim, 10 percent Roman Catholic and 6.8 percent Orthodox.

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Each of Albania's three major religions were persecuted during the communist era "because they said they believe in God." Speaking to reporters aboard the return flight to Rome after his visit to Albania, the pope said these three faith "communities have given a witness to God and now bear witness to their fraternity."

The pope said he will travel on Nov. 25 to Strasbourg and to Turkey on November 30. In response to a comment that Turkey shares a border with embattled Iraq, Pope Francis replied: "the geography cannot be changed."

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