2006年VOA标准英语-Pope Meets Muslim Envoys, Says Interfaith Dialo

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
25 September 2006

salute1 a car with an Albanian flag at Pope Benedict XVI's summer residence, September 25, 2006" src="/upimg/allimg/070428/1114350.jpg" width="202" border="0" /> Vatican Swiss guards salute a car with an Albanian flag at Pope Benedict XVI's summer residence, September 25, 2006

Pope Benedict has met with diplomats² from predominantly Muslim countries and said both Christians³ and Muslims must work together against intolerance and violence. The meeting at the pope's summer residence outside Rome was aimed at defusing Muslim anger over a papal address about Islam. 

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Speaking in French, Pope Benedict assured 21 Muslim diplomats that he has esteem⁴ and profound respect for Muslim believers. He was addressing them at the papal summer residence in Castelgandolfo. Also present were Italian Islamic religious leaders.

The pope told them that religious dialogue and inter-cultural dialogue are necessary to build a world of peace. He said Christians and Muslims must learn to work together against intolerance and violence.

Pope Benedict said that following the work of his predecessor⁵, John Paul II, he would like to see relations between Muslims and Christians develop further in a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue.

After his speech the pope personally greeted each one of the envoys⁶.

The meeting was organized by the Vatican to ease tension between Roman Catholics and the Muslim world. Those tensions exploded after the pope quoted a Byzantine emperor who had criticized Mohammed, the founder⁸ of Islam.

Many Muslims took violent exception to this. The pope did not refer to his quotation⁹, saying the circumstances, which led to the meeting are well-known.

Reacting to the pope's talk with the Muslim leaders, the Italian representative of the World Muslim League, Mario Scialoja, said he thought it was a "very good and warm speech". He added that the pope recalled the differences, but expressed his willingness to continue in a cordial and fruitful dialogue.

The Iraqi Ambassador to the Vatican said the pope's words should now end the anger that followed his comments on Islam. The Iraqi envoy⁷ said the pope spoke¹⁰ of his deep respect for Islam and this is what the Muslim world was expecting to hear.

1 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

2 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

4 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

5 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

6 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

7 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

8 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

9 quotation   

n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情

参考例句：

• He finished his speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.他讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。
• The quotation is omitted here.此处引文从略。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。