Pope Leo XIV joined leaders of other religions on Tuesday, October 28, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of In our agethe Catholic Church’s statement on building relationships with non-Christian religions.
Approximately 300 representatives of world religions and cultures accompanied the Holy Father in an ecumenical evening prayer for peace, organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and held at the Colosseum in Rome.
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“Peace is a constant path of reconciliation,” the Holy Father said during Tuesday’s event.
He thanked the religious leaders for their presence in Rome and noted that the interfaith meeting expressed their shared conviction that prayer is a powerful force for reconciliation.
“This is our testimony: to offer the immense treasures of ancient spiritualities to contemporary humanity,” he said.
Leo “Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction and exile!” he exclaimed.
In his words, the Pope urged people not to be indifferent to the “cry of the poor and the cry of the earth” in their search for peace in countries marked by conflict and injustice.
“With the strength of prayer, with hands raised to heaven and open to others, we must ensure that this period of history, marked by war and the arrogance of power, soon comes to an end, giving way to a new era,” he stated.9
“We cannot allow this period to continue. It shapes the minds of people, who become accustomed to war as something normal in human history,” he continued.
Several people waved small blue banners with the word “peace” in different languages, while Pope Leo XIII and other religious leaders lit candles to symbolize their joint prayer and renewed commitment to interreligious dialogue.
After prayer at the emblematic monument in Rome, the Holy Father returned to the Vatican to participate in the colorful celebrations organized jointly by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of In our agevarious multicultural music and dance events were held in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, as well as a presentation that highlighted papal initiatives to promote the Church’s dialogue with other religions since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.
The appearance of Pope Leo XIV and his special address toward the end of the two-hour meeting highlighted the Church’s reverence for all people and its desire to collaborate with others for the common good.
“We belong to a single human family, one in origin and one also in our final goal,” he said. “Religions around the world are trying to respond to the restlessness of the human heart,” he said.
“Each one, in its own way,” he highlighted, “offers teachings, ways of life and sacred rites that help guide its faithful towards peace and the meaning of life.”
Underlining the common mission shared by people of different religions to “rekindle” the sense of the sacred in today’s world, the Holy Father encouraged “keeping love alive.”
“We have gathered here with the great responsibility, as religious leaders, to bring hope to a humanity that is often tempted by despair,” Leo XIV said.
“Let us remember that prayer has the power to transform our hearts, our words, our actions and our world,” he concluded.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Kristina Miller
Kristina Millare is a freelance journalist with professional experience in communications in humanitarian aid and development, news journalism, entertainment marketing, politics and government, business and entrepreneurship.