Epigraph: “Say, ‘O People of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you — that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’” (Al Quran 3:65)
Pope Francis I
Source: CNN
Argentina’s Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis
- New pope is Argentina’s Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, who takes the name Pope Francis.
- Francis, 76, is the first non-European pope in the modern era, the first South American pope and the first Pope Francis.
- Election comes on first full day of the cardinals’ conclave in the Sistine Chapel.
- New pope, who succeeds Pope Benedict XVI, asks crowd to pray for him.
- Updates below; full story here; New name is “most stunning”
[Updated at 3:51 p.m. ET] Choosing the name Francis is powerful and ground-breaking, CNN Vatican expert John Allen says.
As noted earlier, this is the first Pope Francis. Also, the name parallels one of the most venerated figures in the Roman Catholic Church, St. Francis of Assisi.
Allen described the name of Pope Francis as “the most stunning” choice and “precedent shattering.”
“There are cornerstone figures in Catholicism” such as St. Francis, Allen said. Figures of such stature as St. Francis seem “irrepeatable – that there can be only one Francis,” Allen added.
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The Muslim Times’ Chief Editor’s Comments:
We want to congratulate the new Pope on his election and applaud his comments about universal brotherhood and sisterhood.
A humble suggestion about upholding of Monotheism though. Your Holiness you did pray to mother Mary towards the end of your speech today. We Muslims love and cherish mother Mary.
There is a chapter in the Holy Quran named after her. In one of the verses of the Holy Quran she is mentioned as a role model, not only for Muslim women but also Muslim men (66:12-13). This also reflects moral and spiritual equality in Islam, among men and women.
However, we do not invoke any divine attributes about her, in any form. Allow me to suggest some reading materials for Your Holiness and other Monotheists: Maria: Pope Benedict XVI on the Mother of God.
Defining Monotheism more precisely will bring all Jews, Muslims, Unitarian Christians and Trinitarian Christians in a large brotherhood, which you cherish and alluded to in your speech today. Let us hope and pray that all
Abrhamic religions come together on Abraham’s understanding of one God.
Allow me to drop a little hint. Patriarch Abraham never heard the name of Jesus of Nazareth, may peace be on him, for he was 1800-2000 years before him. Peace!
Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis I again.
Categories: Americas