Pope laments religious persecution

Calls for legal protections for religious freedom

Pope Francis has expressed his sadness at the scale of anti-Christian persecution suffered throughout the world in the modern era.

"Nowadays, persecution of Christians is stronger than it was in the first centuries of the Church, and there are more Christian martyrs than in that time. This is happening 1,700 years after the edict of Constantine, which granted Christians the freedom to publicly profess their faith."

The Pontiff made his comments as he addressed legal scholars participating in a conference on religious freedom in Rome last weekend.

Insisting that religious freedom is vital for the truth sought by every human, the Pope continued: "Reason recognises that religious freedom is a fundamental right of man, reflecting his highest dignity, that of seeking the truth and adhering to it, and recognising it as an indispensable condition for realising all his potential. Religious freedom is not simply freedom of thought or private worship. It is the freedom to live according to ethical principles, both privately and publicly, consequent to the truth one has found.

"Legal systems, at both national and international level, are therefore required to recognise, guarantee and protect religious freedom, which is a right intrinsically inherent in human nature, in manís dignity as a free being, and is also an indicator of a healthy democracy and one of the main sources of the legitimacy of the state."