Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I condemns “Innocence of Muslims” film

His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I released a statement condemning “Innocence of Muslims” film, mocking Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam.

“No group or individual has the right to undermine what is regarded as sacred by any religion, and we strongly condemn such approaches. The traditions, teachings and values of all religions should be respected.” He went on to say, “The monotheistic religions believe in peace and not violence, and dialogue is the key to building respect.”

His Holiness concluded by stating that we in the Middle East believe that the ‘other’ is the ‘neighbor’; “Christians and Muslims,” he said, “have been living together as neighbors for many centuries and are working constantly towards building a culture of coexistence based on respect for our differences.”