"We have wept his death"

The servant in the book of Isaiah, "faced with an unjust condemnation, bears witness to the truth, remaining faithful to the law of love."

"On this path, Archbishop Rahho took up his cross and followed the Lord Jesus, thus he contributed to bringing justice to his martyred country and to the whole world, bearing witness to the truth.

"He was a man of peace and dialogue [...] with a particular fondness for the poor and the disabled. [...] May his example sustain all Iraqis of good will, Christians and Muslims, to build peaceful coexistence founded on human fraternity and mutual respect.

"Over these days, in profound union with the Chaldean community in Iraq and abroad, we have wept his death and the inhuman way in which he was compelled to end his earthly life.

"But today in this Eucharist [...] we wish to give thanks to God for all the good he achieved in Archbishop Rahho. At the same time, we hope that, from heaven, he may intercede with the Lord to obtain for the faithful in that sorely-tried land the courage to continue to work for a better future."

- His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the memorial Mass in the Vatican for the soul of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul of the Chaldeans, Iraq.