Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend S.Agayeva / The decision of Pope Benedict XVI on the official withdrawal that dictates that Mass be delivered in Latin was received with ambiguous appreciation, religious dialogues revealed. This means strengthening and increasing the spirit of friendship between various religions, said theologian Ilgar Ibrahioglu, the Chairman of the Centre for Protection of Religious Freedoms (DEVAMM) and Imam of the Baku mosque of Juma in the Old City, commenting on the Head of the Catholic Church's decision.
According to Ibrahioglu, in the theological point of view there is no paradox here because the Christians consider heretics as wayward people and those who are under darkness. Such cases are also possibly observed in other languages, he said.
"From the point of view of the dialogue between religions, strengthening the approach of the brotherhood spirit between various religious as well as expectations to continue the positive tendencies of the previous Pope, it is a step that is unanimously appreciated. The opinion that this is a wrong decision and has not been made at the right time is groundless," Ibrahimoglu said.
According to the theologian, such opinions are voiced in the context that the new Pope elected in April 2005 caused dissatisfaction and criticism among the representatives of other religions regarding other issues. One example of such an episode is when the Pope, quoting the Byzantine Imperator of the 14th century who said "Show me what new things the Prophet Muhammad has brought and you will see many mischief there..." insulted whole Islamic religion.