VATICAN CITY, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI, responding to a series of bloody attacks, appealed again to Muslim countries to protect their Christian minorities.
In his "state of the world" message to the Vatican diplomatic corps Monday, the pontiff said he was "deeply troubled" by recent murders of worshipers at churches in Baghdad and Alexandria, Egypt.
"I renew my heartfelt appeal that their Christian fellow citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members," he said.
Worshipers must be free to express their beliefs and to not be torn between fidelity to God and loyalty to their country, the pope said.
Benedict praised European governments for urging European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to take up the issue. UPI
