Vatican message welcomes Idul Fitri

Vatican message welcomes Idul Fitri

JAKARTA (JP): The Vatican yesterday sent a message of
friendship and greeting to Moslems throughout the world as they
prepared to celebrate Idul Fitri, the end of the Ramadhan fasting
month which falls on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10.

"This period offers an opportunity for Christians to visit
their Moslem friends to exchange greetings," Cardinal Francis
Arinze, president of the Pontification Council for Interreligious
Dialog, said yesterday.

Without neglecting the differences between religions, the
cardinal said it was through belief in God that every authentic
believer showed their respect for other men and women.

"Religion cannot be thought to authorize us, on the basis of
our differences, to adopt negative attitudes towards one
another," he said.

He ended his statement by saying Moslems and Christians might
need to work together more closely and effectively if they were
to answer the questions of the coming millennium. (mds)