EU and Iraqi bishops join condemnation of the burning of the Quran in Sweden

By Lisa Zengarini

The European Bishops have joined in condemning the recent burning of the Quran staged in Stockholm last week, expressing solidarity with Muslims offended by the sacrilegious act.

The EU must ensure greater respect for religions and sacred symbols

In a message posted on Twitter on Wednesday, 5 July, the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) said it “stands in fraternal support with Muslim communities”.

On June 28, during a protest authorised by the police, Salwan Momika, a Swedish citizen of Iraqi origin, tore up and set on fire pages of the Islamic holy book, as Muslims celebrated the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The incident has sparked an outcry of condemnation across the Muslim world including many countries in the Middle East.

The perpetrator argued that it was not a hate crime or incitement against a group of people, but against a book which, he said, instigates violence and murder.

In its post, COMECE decried the desecration, “as well as any actions of hatred/incitements to violence”, asking the EU “to ensure a greater respect for religions, their sacred symbols".

The message, also attaches a statement by the European Council of Muslim leaders (Eulema), signed by its president Imam Yahya Pallavicini.

Condemnation from Christian Churches

The European Bishops’ post adds to the condemnation also expressed by several Christian Churches.

In a statement released last week in the wake of the incident, Swedish Christian Council described it as  “a deliberate violation of the Muslim faith and identity”, and ”an attack on all of us people of faith”, expressing solidarity with Muslim believers in Sweden.

Church leaders in Pakistan, where the Christian community has received threats of retaliation from a banned Islamist group, said Quran burnings must stop and called for the respect of the holy books of religions.

Churches in Iraq: a “despicable" act and an attack on peace between peoples

In recent days, the Council of Heads of Churches and Christian Communities of Iraq,  an ecumenical body including  Patriarchs, Bishops and heads of the 14 Churches and Ecclesial Communities present in  the country, condemned the desecration as a “despicable" act , an incitement to religious hatred and an attack on peace between peoples, which in no way can be justified by the right of freedom of expression.

The sacrilegious act has aroused a strong public reaction in Iraq, and is cause of major concern for the Iraqi Christian community, also because it was carried out  by an Iraqi refugee.

In an interview last week, Pope Francis said he was “outraged and disgusted by these actions".