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| Pope Francis |
Pop Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, expressed his strong disapproval and condemned the burning of the Holy Qur’an in Stockhausen by two men.
Local media reported on Monday that he said, "I feel angry and disgusted by these actions."
He also added, "Any book considered holy must be respected out of respect for those who believe in it, and freedom of expression should never be used as an excuse to despise others."
And the Pope said, "Allowing this is rejected and condemned."
Two Swedish male nationals are the ones who set fire to the Islamic holy book in the country’s capital on Wednesdat, the first day of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.
This action received strong condemnation from several countries with Muslim-majority populations, who criticized Swedish diplomats and argued that the act promoted hatred and should not be considered as an exercise of free speech.
Saudi Arabia, among the latest countries to respond, summoned the Swedish ambassador in Riyadh on Sunday.
The purpose of the meeting was to convey the Kingdom's position on the matter stating, “categorical rejection of the disgraceful act carried out by an extremist.”
The Saudi government called on the Swedish government “to stop all acts that directly contradict international efforts seeking to spread the values of tolerance, moderation and rejection of extremism.
“The Swedish government should not undermine the necessary mutual respect for relations between peoples and states.”
Sweden stated that the act of burning the Islamic holy book was allowed within the framework of the country's freedom of expression laws.
However, Swedish authorities also acknowledged that it was not an appropriate action to take.