Pope Leo XIV vows ongoing dedication to interreligious conversation.
One of his first significant public events after replacing Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV welcomed leaders of several religions to the Vatican’s Clementine Hall and promised a continued commitment to interreligious and ecumenical dialogue.
Christian denominations represented among the audience included the Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches; leaders from Buddhist, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities. Emphasizing bridge-building and human brotherhood, the pope reiterated his will to develop on Pope Francis’s legacy of conversation and synodality.
Pope Leo stated, “in a world hurt by conflict and violence,” each of the communities represented here offers its own share of wisdom, compassion, and dedication to the good of mankind and the protection of our common home.
He urged religious leaders to come together around a common perspective of peace and justice as he called for coordinated action against war, poverty, and environmental degradation.
The event also indicated a revived Vatican interest in Catholic-Buddhist interaction, therefore underlining the need of compassion and nonviolence. Buddhist leaders commended the pope’s message, highlighting both continuity with the past and new direction promise.
Pope Leo XIV ended with a plea for greater cooperation, saying, “If we are in agreement and free from ideological and political conditioning, we can be powerful in saying ‘no’ to war and ‘yes’ to peace.”
