"I deeply regret that Pope Leo XIV is not going to Tibhirine"
On the occasion of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Africa, and more particularly his visit today and tomorrow to Algeria, we wanted to hear a voice other than the consensus that some are trying to display. Behind official statements, this interview gives voice to Bishop Rey, former bishop of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, attentive to the reality experienced by Christian communities on the ground:
Why did you co-sign this opinion piece in the JDD dedicated to threatened religious freedom in Algeria?
I know several Arab and Kabyle Christians who have opened up to me and expressed their vision of things. I am very sensitive to their testimony and to the overall situation of Christians in Algeria, whether they are Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox. So I am sensitive to the situation of Christians who fall into a situation of quasi-persecution. In Algeria we are witnessing increasingly important restrictions in the exercise of worship and religious practice. The freedom to believe must be respected, so I took the opportunity of this platform to express alongside other testimonies this conviction that I make my own.
What does the Pope's visit and Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco's statements inspire in you?
Cardinal Vesco speaks of a meeting of the sovereign pontiff with the Algerian people, which in itself is very good, but one must also be able to put on the table the subjects of tension and in particular the marginalization of Christian communities following the legal restrictions that have been recently decreed.
What do you think about the fact that Pope Leo XIV is not going to Tibhirine?
I deeply regret that this stop is not taking place while the martyrdom of all these witnesses of faith marks the religious history of Christians in Algeria. The legitimate concern to promote fraternity requires that we be transparent about the current situation of Christians who deserve to be respected so that they can live their faith in complete freedom. By trying to be too consensual, we are no longer in the truth.
How do you characterize the situation of Christians in Algeria today?
The pressure from the current authorities in Algeria is inadmissible. This is moreover in line with the principle of secularism, in the true sense of the term, which must accept that everyone can express their belief or non-belief. This distinction is not being made in Algeria today; it is a State that wants to impose the Muslim faith.
Is the Vatican aware of this reality?
I believe that the authorities of the Holy See have received testimonies from Christian communities that are deeply wounded by this current situation. The Vatican is trying to enter into a path of dialogue but diplomacy and dialogue must also integrate and evoke the expression of difficulties, trials and suffering.
Have you ever been to Algeria?
Yes, I have been there several times, including on pilgrimage to Tamanrasset in the footsteps of Blessed Charles de Foucauld. I also went to Tibhirine, a few years after the massacre of the monks. I paid my respects at their tomb which is located within the monastery grounds.
Remarks gathered by Philippe Marie