Pope expresses his opinion on the Islamic cartoon riots

Most everyone has heard about the recent riots going on in the middle east and Europe ostensibly over the publication of the recently-published cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.

Well, Pope Benedict apparently expressed his thoughts on the situation when he met with the prime minister of Lebanon today - a primarily muslim country.

The lebanese minister Fouad Siniora said that "that the Pope had acknowledged that the cartoons lampooning the prophet Mohammed were offensive to Muslims. However he said that this offense did not justify attacks on public or private property."

What I found most interesting, however, is what gift the prime minister chose to present to the pope:


That's right - an image. A picture. I really can't make out what the image/icon depicts - I see at least two saint figures and perhaps the top area has some angels in it. But nevertheless, the point is: radical Islam (and these are the ones who are primarily rioting) believe that any depiction of the Prophet (or Jesus, Moses, etc.) is blasphemous and promotes idolatry.

So, while I haven't found anyone else commenting on this - could the prime minister of Lebanon have been making some sort of tacet statement with the type of gift he chose to present to Benedict?

Comments?

[Photo credit: REUTERS/Oservatore Romano/Pool]