Pope Francis demands better conditions for migrant workers in Bahrain
Pope Francis, leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, called for "safe and dignified" conditions for workers in his visit to Bahrain where the government has been accused of abuses against Shia Muslims and migrant workers.
Rights for the Gulf's migrant laborers, thousands of whom include Filipinos, have been in the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup in neighboring Qatar.
The pope warned that "much labor is in fact dehumanizing. This does not only entail a grave risk of social instability but constitutes a threat to human dignity."
"Labor is as precious as bread... and often too, it is a bread that is poisoned, since it enslaves," he told assembled dignitaries in the opening speech of his visit.
Men and women, "rather than being the sacred and inviolable end and goal of work, are reduced instead to a mere means of producing wealth," he added.
OFWs part of papal audience
The pope, who is using a wheelchair and a walking stick due to chronic knee problems, on Saturday also addressed Christians at the ultra-modern, 2,000-seat Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali.
The church was built to serve Bahrain's approximately 80,000 Catholics, mainly workers from southern Asia, especially India and the Philippines.
Charma, a 45-year-old real estate agent from the Philippines who has been working in Bahrain for 18 years, said seeing Pope Francis was a "once in a lifetime" experience.
"It's a great feeling, I feel blessed to see him personally because I'm here at this event," she said, with tears in her eyes.
The congregation, including many migrant workers including Filipinos living in the kingdom, applauded and filmed on mobile phones as he was wheeled into the octagonal hall, its walls decorated with icons.
On Saturday, the pontiff will lead mass at Bahrain's national stadium before a crowd of nearly 30,000 people, where workers on Wednesday were adding finishing touches, including a giant gold cross above Francis' chair.
Francis will preside over a prayer meeting with Catholic clergy and others on Sunday before returning to Rome. — based on reports from AFP
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