The Vatican on Friday sent a goodwill message to Muslims to mark end of Ramadan, saying that the key to fighting extremists and fundamentalism is to defeat poverty, which the Vatican says creates "intolerable sufferings"."We all know that poverty has the power to humiliate and to engender intolerable sufferings; it is often a source of isolation, anger, even hatred and the desire for revenge.
"It can provoke hostile actions using any available means, even seeking to justify them on religious grounds...in the name of an alleged divine justice," said the message.
It was written by the Vatican's top official in charge of interfaith dialogue, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, as well as Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata.
"On the occasion of your feast which concludes the month of Ramadan, I would like to extend my best wishes for peace and joy to you and, through this message, propose this theme for our reflection: Christians and Muslims: Together in overcoming poverty."
According to the message by the Holy See, confronting poverty and extremism go hand in hand.
"This is why confronting the phenomena of extremism and violence necessarily implies tackling poverty through the promotion of integral human development that Pope Paul VI defined as the "new name for peace," said the letter.
Tauran and Celata concluded the message by wishing a "Happy Eid al-Fitr!" to Muslims, referring to the three-day holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, one of Islam's five pillars.
The end of Ramadan this year will take place on the night of 19-20 September.
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SIC: AKI