SW News: Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako has stressed the need to foster unity among different Churches in the Middle East. Only by doing so can there be a guarantee of fresh air to Christians in the region. He made this observation during a reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that was shared with Asia News.

He cited the siege of Constantinople by the Islamic hordes and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral into a mosque at a time when Byzantine theologians were hotly debating the sex of angels. “In division, there is no future for us, only unity and common path are a guarantee of survival,” said the top prelate.

He reminded believers that unity should not come at the cost of deleting the peculiarities of the spiritual, cultural, theological and liturgical heritage of each Christian community. “Different Churches can adopt a synodal style for cooperation and work, because what unites us is our faith, our land and our future,” said the Cardinal.

He lamented how Christians, who were once the majority in the Middle East, have now become a minority and they are threatened by conflicts, violence and mass exodus. The patriarch said to tide over this crisis, Church leaders must "overcome non-essential differences" and counter "fanaticism and fear" to protect their presence in the region.

There has to be a commitment to the faith on a personal and social level and also combine political participation for Christians in the Middle East to attain true citizenship, social justice and equality, said Cardinal Sako. "Let us reconcile and unite so that the land of our ancestors is not emptied of its original inhabitants". He hailed it as a land rich in history, martyrs and made up of Churches that bear "the pain of Christ" on their bodies.

He also said Churches must adapt to cultural and social changes and to political and economic pressure in the example of Jesus.