President Erdoğan extends Christmas greetings to Christians of Turkey
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan extended his Christmas greetings to the Turkish citizens of the Christian faith through a written statement on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve.
âI would like to congratulate once again Christmas Day of all of the Christian world, and particularly our Christian citizens, and I wish them peace, happiness and welfare,â read ErdoÄanâs statement.
Stating that people who fled wars, oppression and suffering found shelter in Turkey, ErdoÄan said âTurkey still continues to be a place where all of its citizens, regardless of their religion, faith, ethnic origin or sect live in peace, serenity and security, confident of their future amid regional conflicts and instabilities.â
Meanwhile, the holy leader of the Catholic Church Pope Francis delivered a letter to the Christians in the Middle East on Dec. 21, saying that he personally and the whole church express their âpersonal closeness and solidarity ⦠and offer you a word of consolation and hope.â
Pope Francis said in his letter that Christians in the Middle East and âmembers of other religious and ethnic groupsâ were aggravated recently by the âcontinuing hostilities in the region, but especially because of the work of a newer and disturbing terrorist organization, of previously unimaginable dimensions, which has perpetrated all kinds of abuses and inhuman acts,â making a reference to the jihadist terrorist organization of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), while also repeating his call to the international community to promote peace through negotiation and diplomacy.
Pope Francis will hold a Midnight Mass to celebrate the solemnity of the Lord Jesus Christâs Birth at St. Peterâs Basilica in the Vatican at 20:30 GMT...
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