Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Arafi, the head of the Islamic seminaries in Qom, wrote a letter to Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, and spoke to him about the current issues of the world while congratulating him on the birth of Jesus Christ.

In response to his letter, Cardinal Petro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, wrote on behalf of the Pope:

From the Vatican, 10th February 2021

Your Eminence,

With your courteous letter, delivered on 16 November last, you wished to express your concerns to the Holy Father Pope Francis regarding the insults made against the Prophet Mohammad and the hatred that declarations of some magazines, writers, and political figures may cause in different societies.

After having taken careful note of the content of your communication, His Holiness has asked me to express his concern for those affected by aggression and insults of religious figures, symbols, and sentiments.

As Pope Francis wrote in the Encyclical Letter "Fratelli Tutti”, “at a time when various forms of fundamentalist intolerance are damaging relationships between individuals, groups, and peoples, let us be committed to living and teaching the value of respect for others, a love capable of welcoming differences, and the priority of the dignity of every human being over his or her ideas, opinions, practices and even sins” (n.191).

I take this occasion, in the name of the Holy Father, as well as in my own name, to express my respectful and cordial good wishes.

PIETRO CARD. PAROLE Secretary of State of Vatican

To Ayatollah Alireza Arafi Head of Islamic Seminaries in Iran, Qom