A Catholic archbishop in Punjab province has urged Christians to avoid liturgical hymns and psalms praising Israel.
Archbishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore fears a possible backlash in the Muslim-majority country, where many residents are angry about the war in the Middle East.
Archbishop Shaw hosted an interfaith meeting at his bishop’s home in the provincial capital on Thursday to call for an end to the war. Most Muslims in Pakistan view the war in the Middle East as an Islamic-Jewish conflict. Any perceived support for the Jewish state of Israel could trigger unrest in the province where most Pakistani Christians live.
Most Pakistani Christians live in Punjab
More than 80 percent of Pakistan’s estimated 5 million Christians live in Punjab. The province has also been the scene of most anti-Christian riots and attacks over the past two decades. Church choirs in the Archdiocese of Lahore “have been asked not to sing pro-Israel psalms for the time being,” Shaw told reporters after the Oct. 15 Sunday Mass. “Social media users should avoid sharing pro-Israel messages.” The Diocese of Multan has also ordered similar precautionary measures.
(ucanews-sk)