Lahore (Monday, 27/10/2014, Gaudium Press) Asia Bibi, a Pakistani young mother condemned to death for an alleged blasphemy, wrote a letter to Pope Francis asking him to pray for her freedom. Her case is in the last judicial instance to prove her innocence. “I hold strongly to my Christian faith and nurture my confidence in God, my Father, who will defend me and set me free” she said.
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| Asia Bibi in prison. Photograph taken during a visit at her place of detention. Credit: Persecution Blog. |
The letter was written after the Superior Court of Lahore ratified the death sentence, and after several years on prison without any judicial intervention on the appeal filed for Bibi’s defence. The woman exposed her concern to the Holy Father: “Pope Francis, I’m your daughter, Asia Bibi. I implore you: pray for me, for me to be acquitted and free. At this point I can only entrust myself to God, the Almighty, the one who can do everything” Bibi reaffirmed her faith during her whole experience and showed her trust in God during all this trial.
“Pope Francis, I know you are praying for me with all your heart” she wrote. “I know that thanks to your prayers, I could be set free. In the name of Almighty God and his glory, I thank you for your support in this moment of suffering and disappointment.”
Bibi’s family and defenders main concern was that her mood may be weakening. She has been captive for four years now and she has responded with an amazing courage to the threat of her execution, not only due to the actual condemnation itself but also due to the potential risk of violence taken by radical groups such as the one that took the lives of Shahbaz Bhatti, also Catholic, and governor Salmán Taseer.
The defence also was chocked by the unreliable set of testimony against her, as well as by the pressure over the judges. It has been said that the only thing that till now has delayed her execution is the considerable international repudiation of her condemnation and the public opinion campaigns in support of her freedom.
“My only hope is that I will one day be able to see my family reunited and happy again. I believe that God will not abandon me and that He has a plan of happiness and wellbeing for me which will come into being very soon” said the young woman. “I am grateful to all Christians across the world that are praying for me and doing everything to help me.”
Info provided by Zenit.
