HIS Majesty King Hamad has sent a written message to Pope Francis.
Delivered by his adviser for diplomatic affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the message included an official invitation to Pope Francis to visit Bahrain.
This came as Pope Francis received, at the Vatican yesterday, Shaikh Khalid, who expressed the King’s appreciation of the pivotal and prominent role played by the Pope in establishing and promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding among various cultures and civilisations.
He also praised the Pope for spreading the values of human fraternity and coexistence among all.
Shaikh Khalid affirmed the King’s support for the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together and the lofty principles embedded in it.
He stressed the importance of building on that document to ensure a more prosperous future for the entire humanity.
Pope Francis requested Shaikh Khalid to convey his greetings to His Majesty and his sincere thanks for the kind invitation to visit the kingdom which he loves and appreciates.
Pope Francis also asserted that the invitation embodies Bahrain’s status as a role model for openness and coexistence among all its social segments. He expressed appreciation for the King’s wisdom and constant keenness to foster the culture of dialogue and tolerance.
The Pope praised the King’s initiatives aimed at consolidating and spreading the principles of coexistence and fraternity among all countries and peoples.
The invitation to the Pope to visit the country comes as the kingdom prepares for the opening in Bahrain of the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the Arabian Peninsula.
The GDN reported last week that work on the BD11.3 million Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia will be completed by the end of the month.
The cathedral has been built on a 9,000sqm stretch of land in Awali donated by the King.
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