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| Pope Francis Makes ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour Amid Yemen Crisis and Christian Repression | Pope Francis Makes ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour Amid Yemen Crisis and Christian Repression |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Pope Francis became the first pontiff to visit the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam, as he arrived on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates on a trip seeking to improve relations with the Muslim world and to offer encouragement to Catholic migrants in a region where his flock has dwindled amid increasing persecution and bloodshed. | ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Pope Francis became the first pontiff to visit the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam, as he arrived on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates on a trip seeking to improve relations with the Muslim world and to offer encouragement to Catholic migrants in a region where his flock has dwindled amid increasing persecution and bloodshed. |
| The three-day stay in the Emirates, a relatively tolerant oasis that is home to some one million Catholics, also comes as a brief reprieve for a pope whose legacy and moral authority have been challenged by his struggle to come to grips with a global sex abuse scandal that shows no signs of abating. | The three-day stay in the Emirates, a relatively tolerant oasis that is home to some one million Catholics, also comes as a brief reprieve for a pope whose legacy and moral authority have been challenged by his struggle to come to grips with a global sex abuse scandal that shows no signs of abating. |
| Those troubles seemed far away as the pope’s plane touched down amid the palm trees, opulent high-rises, men in white dishdashas and enormous mosques in Abu Dhabi. While the tension in some of the pope’s recent travels has been around what sort of apology he might issue for the Church’s misdeeds, his emphasis on this trip will be interreligious dialogue and improving the situation of Roman Catholics, both in this oil-rich nation that has promoted religious inclusion and throughout the less tolerant, and more dangerous, region. | Those troubles seemed far away as the pope’s plane touched down amid the palm trees, opulent high-rises, men in white dishdashas and enormous mosques in Abu Dhabi. While the tension in some of the pope’s recent travels has been around what sort of apology he might issue for the Church’s misdeeds, his emphasis on this trip will be interreligious dialogue and improving the situation of Roman Catholics, both in this oil-rich nation that has promoted religious inclusion and throughout the less tolerant, and more dangerous, region. |
| The United Arab Emirates, which even has a Ministry of Tolerance, has long sought to burnish its attraction as a cosmopolitan center of glass towers and global commerce with inclusive religious laws. | The United Arab Emirates, which even has a Ministry of Tolerance, has long sought to burnish its attraction as a cosmopolitan center of glass towers and global commerce with inclusive religious laws. |
| The country’s rulers, who festooned street lamps with Emirati and Vatican flags for Francis’ arrival, have granted a large degree of freedom to religious minorities, including Roman Catholics from India, the Philippines and South America who have helped support its growth as construction workers, housekeepers and oil-industry employees. | |
| While Catholics, Hindus and other religious minorities can practice their faith, they cannot profess it in the media or try to spread it, as conversion from Islam is illegal. One way the Vatican hopes the pope’s visit will make a difference in their lives is by making it easier for them to find a place to worship. | While Catholics, Hindus and other religious minorities can practice their faith, they cannot profess it in the media or try to spread it, as conversion from Islam is illegal. One way the Vatican hopes the pope’s visit will make a difference in their lives is by making it easier for them to find a place to worship. |
| Church officials said one of the pope’s goals for his visit was to ease the way for the creation of more churches here to better serve the growing number of Catholic migrants who have found a home away from home in the parishes. | Church officials said one of the pope’s goals for his visit was to ease the way for the creation of more churches here to better serve the growing number of Catholic migrants who have found a home away from home in the parishes. |
| While the relative religious freedom here has made Abu Dhabi a beacon for the pope to point to in a part of the world where Christians are oppressed and vanishing, a visit to this country is not without its complications for a pope who preaches peace. | While the relative religious freedom here has made Abu Dhabi a beacon for the pope to point to in a part of the world where Christians are oppressed and vanishing, a visit to this country is not without its complications for a pope who preaches peace. |
| The United Arab Emirates has joined its ally Saudi Arabia — which does not allow the construction of churches — in a brutal proxy war against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels of Yemen. | The United Arab Emirates has joined its ally Saudi Arabia — which does not allow the construction of churches — in a brutal proxy war against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels of Yemen. |
| The four-year war has pushed Yemen’s small Christian communities into hiding and devastated the country, creating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and leading to the death by starvation of some 85,000 children. | The four-year war has pushed Yemen’s small Christian communities into hiding and devastated the country, creating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and leading to the death by starvation of some 85,000 children. |
| The Saudi-led coalition, which has employed child soldiers from Darfur and is supported by the United States, has been accused of targeting or indiscriminately bombing civilians, striking weddings, funerals and a school bus. The bombing campaign has also wiped out Yemen’s important fishing and agriculture industries. | The Saudi-led coalition, which has employed child soldiers from Darfur and is supported by the United States, has been accused of targeting or indiscriminately bombing civilians, striking weddings, funerals and a school bus. The bombing campaign has also wiped out Yemen’s important fishing and agriculture industries. |
| Hours before his departure, the pope told pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square that he was monitoring with great worry the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and its children “who are hungry, they are thirsty, they don’t have medicine.” | Hours before his departure, the pope told pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square that he was monitoring with great worry the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and its children “who are hungry, they are thirsty, they don’t have medicine.” |
| “The population is exhausted by the long conflict, and many, many children are suffering from hunger but they are not able to get to food,” he said. | “The population is exhausted by the long conflict, and many, many children are suffering from hunger but they are not able to get to food,” he said. |
| “The cry of these children and their parents rises up to God,” he added. “I appeal to all sides involved and to the international community to urgently press for respect of the agreements that have been reached, to guarantee the distribution of food, and work for the good of the population.” | “The cry of these children and their parents rises up to God,” he added. “I appeal to all sides involved and to the international community to urgently press for respect of the agreements that have been reached, to guarantee the distribution of food, and work for the good of the population.” |
| Church officials and analysts suggested that Francis, who has proved to be a skilled diplomat in his travels to six other Muslim nations, including Egypt in 2017, would be less explicit about the disaster in Yemen while in the United Arab Emirates, at least in his public statements. | Church officials and analysts suggested that Francis, who has proved to be a skilled diplomat in his travels to six other Muslim nations, including Egypt in 2017, would be less explicit about the disaster in Yemen while in the United Arab Emirates, at least in his public statements. |
| “In this part of the world, delicate issues, they are better treated not too much in the public. That’s my experience,” said Bishop Paul Hinder, the leader of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which includes the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. | “In this part of the world, delicate issues, they are better treated not too much in the public. That’s my experience,” said Bishop Paul Hinder, the leader of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which includes the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. |
| Bishop Hinder said he had been unable to reach Yemen because of the war, but that working on specific cases “behind the curtain” sometimes yielded positive results. He added that a public statement by Francis on Yemen was possible, but “I am quite sure that he will speak about the drama in a more discreet way.” | Bishop Hinder said he had been unable to reach Yemen because of the war, but that working on specific cases “behind the curtain” sometimes yielded positive results. He added that a public statement by Francis on Yemen was possible, but “I am quite sure that he will speak about the drama in a more discreet way.” |
| The pope and the rulers of the United Arab Emirates have been more outspoken in their proclamations of their shared commitment to tolerance and interreligious dialogue. | The pope and the rulers of the United Arab Emirates have been more outspoken in their proclamations of their shared commitment to tolerance and interreligious dialogue. |
| Pope Francis, who will reside during his stay at the Al Mushrif Palace, has called the Emirates a “land that tries to be a model of coexistence” and began a video message about the trip last week with the Arabic salutation “as-salamu alaikum,” or peace be with you. “I am happy for this occasion the Lord has given me to write, on your dear land, a new page in the history of relations between religions.” | Pope Francis, who will reside during his stay at the Al Mushrif Palace, has called the Emirates a “land that tries to be a model of coexistence” and began a video message about the trip last week with the Arabic salutation “as-salamu alaikum,” or peace be with you. “I am happy for this occasion the Lord has given me to write, on your dear land, a new page in the history of relations between religions.” |
| The government here has gone out of its way to welcome the pope. | The government here has gone out of its way to welcome the pope. |
| “They are surely proud to be the first here in the region to receive him as a sign of recognition of their tolerance and their openness,” Bishop Hinder said. “The recognition of the tolerance in this country should be an encouragement maybe for certain countries in the neighborhood,” he added, referring to Saudi Arabia. Analysts said that the pope also most likely intended for his message to reach Iran, just across the Persian Gulf. | “They are surely proud to be the first here in the region to receive him as a sign of recognition of their tolerance and their openness,” Bishop Hinder said. “The recognition of the tolerance in this country should be an encouragement maybe for certain countries in the neighborhood,” he added, referring to Saudi Arabia. Analysts said that the pope also most likely intended for his message to reach Iran, just across the Persian Gulf. |
| In January, Francis told ambassadors to the Holy See that the visit to the Emirates represented an opportunity to improve understanding and relations between the faiths, especially as this year “marks the 800th anniversary of the historic meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil” of Egypt. | In January, Francis told ambassadors to the Holy See that the visit to the Emirates represented an opportunity to improve understanding and relations between the faiths, especially as this year “marks the 800th anniversary of the historic meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil” of Egypt. |
| On Monday the pope will meet with the Council of Muslim Elders, at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the country’s largest. The Council of Muslim Elders has come to specialize in interfaith dialogue. | On Monday the pope will meet with the Council of Muslim Elders, at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the country’s largest. The Council of Muslim Elders has come to specialize in interfaith dialogue. |
| But “the worry is the dialogue is just part of an image,” part of the efforts by the rulers of the United Arab Emirates to project a modern image to attract business, said Daniel Philpott, a political scientist at the University of Notre Dame and the author of the forthcoming book “Religious Freedom in Islam.” | But “the worry is the dialogue is just part of an image,” part of the efforts by the rulers of the United Arab Emirates to project a modern image to attract business, said Daniel Philpott, a political scientist at the University of Notre Dame and the author of the forthcoming book “Religious Freedom in Islam.” |
| Mr. Philpott said that while the United Arab Emirates largely granted religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus freedom to worship in private, it banned the promulgation of non-Muslim faiths in the media or in public. And while conversion to Islam is promoted, the conversion from Islam to another religion is illegal and deeply dangerous. Blasphemy and apostasy still carry potential death sentences here. | Mr. Philpott said that while the United Arab Emirates largely granted religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus freedom to worship in private, it banned the promulgation of non-Muslim faiths in the media or in public. And while conversion to Islam is promoted, the conversion from Islam to another religion is illegal and deeply dangerous. Blasphemy and apostasy still carry potential death sentences here. |
| The country has also cracked down on activists suspected of having links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which it views as an existential threat, and it tightly monitors its own mosques and imams. | The country has also cracked down on activists suspected of having links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which it views as an existential threat, and it tightly monitors its own mosques and imams. |
| But in an inhospitable neighborhood, the United Arab Emirates is still one of the bright spots on the pope’s radar. | But in an inhospitable neighborhood, the United Arab Emirates is still one of the bright spots on the pope’s radar. |
| Throughout Monday’s interreligious meetings, the pope will be accompanied by Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar mosque and its influential university in Egypt, who welcomed and embraced the pope upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi. | Throughout Monday’s interreligious meetings, the pope will be accompanied by Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar mosque and its influential university in Egypt, who welcomed and embraced the pope upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi. |
| The pope has met with the imam five times, including during his trip to Egypt last year, and he called him his “dear brother” in a video message before this trip. On Saturday, the Al-Azhar mosque released a statement declaring Monday’s meeting as “historic” and praised the “deeply fraternal relationship” between its leader and the pope. | The pope has met with the imam five times, including during his trip to Egypt last year, and he called him his “dear brother” in a video message before this trip. On Saturday, the Al-Azhar mosque released a statement declaring Monday’s meeting as “historic” and praised the “deeply fraternal relationship” between its leader and the pope. |
| For years those relations were frozen, and the Vatican’s relations throughout the Muslim world were imperiled by a 2006 speech given by Pope Benedict XVI in Regensburg, Germany, which seemed to link Islam to violence. | For years those relations were frozen, and the Vatican’s relations throughout the Muslim world were imperiled by a 2006 speech given by Pope Benedict XVI in Regensburg, Germany, which seemed to link Islam to violence. |
| Francis has worked hard to improve those relations, but unlike in the other Muslim countries that he has visited, where the Christian population is minuscule or endangered, in the United Arab Emirates it is thriving. | Francis has worked hard to improve those relations, but unlike in the other Muslim countries that he has visited, where the Christian population is minuscule or endangered, in the United Arab Emirates it is thriving. |
| The first Catholic Church was built in the country in 1965, six years before the country was actually founded. And the church said there are about a million Roman Catholics in the country, more than 10 percent of the population. While only citizens can own land in the Emirates — a significant obstacle to the building of new churches — the royal family has donated or leased land and subsidized utility costs for the new churches. | The first Catholic Church was built in the country in 1965, six years before the country was actually founded. And the church said there are about a million Roman Catholics in the country, more than 10 percent of the population. While only citizens can own land in the Emirates — a significant obstacle to the building of new churches — the royal family has donated or leased land and subsidized utility costs for the new churches. |
| Since the country has no native-born Catholic clerics, the pastoral needs of these Catholics are attended to by a few dozen priests from around the world who say Mass in a variety of languages, from Arabic to English to Tagalog. | Since the country has no native-born Catholic clerics, the pastoral needs of these Catholics are attended to by a few dozen priests from around the world who say Mass in a variety of languages, from Arabic to English to Tagalog. |
| The Christian migrants in the United Arab Emirates have suffered their own human rights violations and tenuous labor conditions, Bishop Hinder said. | The Christian migrants in the United Arab Emirates have suffered their own human rights violations and tenuous labor conditions, Bishop Hinder said. |
| While there had been real progress in the country, he said he had also briefed the pope on the difficult situation of the Catholics here who face job insecurity that could result in them being forced to leave the country. “That gives a certain tension,” he said. | While there had been real progress in the country, he said he had also briefed the pope on the difficult situation of the Catholics here who face job insecurity that could result in them being forced to leave the country. “That gives a certain tension,” he said. |
| Francis will address that community directly on Tuesday, when he visits a church and celebrates Mass at a sports arena, in what will be the largest public Christian celebration ever performed in the country. | Francis will address that community directly on Tuesday, when he visits a church and celebrates Mass at a sports arena, in what will be the largest public Christian celebration ever performed in the country. |
| The government gave all private sector workers, who are expected to be among the 135,000 in attendance, the day off from work. More than 1,000 buses, from Dubai and other parts of the country, are bringing pilgrims for the Mass. | The government gave all private sector workers, who are expected to be among the 135,000 in attendance, the day off from work. More than 1,000 buses, from Dubai and other parts of the country, are bringing pilgrims for the Mass. |
| “We are purely a migrant church,” Bishop Hinder said. | “We are purely a migrant church,” Bishop Hinder said. |