Source by: Reuters
DUBAI: In an interview with the UAE’s al-Ittihad newspaper on Monday, Pope Francis said he condemned the authorization of Qur’an burning, adding that such acts enraged him.
“Any book considered holy should be respected in order to respect those who believe in it,” remarked Pope Francis. “These actions make me angry and disgusted.”
The remarks are thought to be the first by the leader of the Catholic Church regarding occurrences of burning copies of the Quran in Sweden.
“Allowing this is unacceptable and condemned,” he stated, emphasising that free expression should not be exploited to offend others.
“Our mission is to transform the religious sense into cooperation, fraternity, and tangible acts of goodness.”
Last week, a man in Sweden’s capital Stockholm tore up and destroyed a Qur’an, prompting severe condemnation from various countries.
While Swedish police have recently rejected multiple petitions for anti-Qur’an demonstrations, judges have overturned those judgements, claiming they violated free expression.
An Islamic organization of 57 governments stated on Sunday that collective actions are needed to prevent acts of desecration of the Qur’ran, and that international law should be used to combat religious hate.