The message of peace from the post- war Iraq

The third part of the series “Messages from the World”, broadcasted on the Day of Peace, is dedicated to Louis Raphaël Sako, Archbishop of Baghdad, and the Patriarch of the Chaldeans. Cardinal Péter Erdő’s introductory words tell about the hard circumstances the Archbishop is working under, in a situation where, due to fight outbursts over and over again, social violence, the Islamic fanatics’ actions and the ravage of the Islamic State, the Christian communities have been going through tremendous suffering. However, Patriarch Sako does his best to protect the Christians in Baghdad and to help them in their restart. In his message, Louis Raphaël Sako first of all sends his thanks to Cardinal Péter Erdő, to the people and to the Government of Hungary for all their solidarity and humanitarian support provided in line with the Christian persecution during the Islamic State rule in 2014.
Archbishop of Baghdad emphasises that the centre of the Christians’ life and faith is the Eucharist, “The Great Sacrament” as it is called in the Chaldean Church. Father Sako underlines that the prayer itself does not change the events, rather it changes the heart of the person experiencing said event, while influencing the person’s viewpoint and perspective.

“The Eucharist is the shared, so to say, the handed over bread, and we Christians are becoming alike to this shared, handed over bread. And this inner light of us helps to face the pandemic and other difficulties”

– says Archbishop Sako.

The Father also highlights that for us the eternal life does not come at the time of our death, rather it arrives already when we live and are aware of our relation to Christ, and are working on to incorporate more and more things into our lives from Christ.
Finally, as the closing of his message Archbishop Sako wishes the people and the Church of Hungary to be close to Christ and to remain in solidarity with all our suffering brothers and sisters going through hard times.

Source/Photo: IEC