An event that occurred on January 24 deserves much more attention than it has thus far received. On that day, in Assisi, the town in Italy associated with Saint Francis, representatives of virtually all the world’s religions came together to speak out for peace and nonviolence. All of them had traveled to this picturesque hill town from Rome on a special “peace train.”
Pope John Paul II had planned this “Day of Prayer for Peace” in order to get backing for his conviction that there is “no religious goal that can possibly justify the use of violence of man against man.”
The leaders, some 250 in all, joined together in saying: “Violence never again! Terrorism never again! In the name of God, may every religion bring upon the earth justice and peace, forgiveness and life, love.”
As photos taken of the event suggest, it must have been impressive to see these leaders sitting in rows alongside their host, John Paul II. Garbed in long robes of various colors, with most of them wearing headdresses of differing design and hue, these guests displayed the diversity of the world’s faiths.
Bringing them together was a major accomplishment in itself. Getting the agreement of all of them added something special to that first achievement. Pope John Paul clearly “was calling in credits,” as one journalist reported, credits built up over his entire 24-year tenure as Bishop of Rome.
Individual passages of the joint statement were read by individual leaders, each in that person’s own language. Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople led the way by reading the words known as the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”
Bhaia Sahisbji Singh, the Sikh representative, read the assembly’s promise to educate people to “mutual respect and esteem.”
A French rabbi, Samuel René Sirat, speaking in Hebrew, read the passage that calls on leaders of nations to create “a world of solidarity and peace based on justice.”
The Buddhist, Nichiko Niwano, speaking in Japanese, called for “solidarity and understanding between peoples” and cautioned about technology that “exposes the world to a growing risk of destruction and death.”
While their joint statement was being read out, the delegates held in their hands lamps fashioned for the occasion by an artist nun. At the end of the general announcement each person placed his lamp on a tripod that will remain in the basilica of St. Francis as a memorial of the historic meeting.
As suggested by the names already cited here, the extent of representation from the religions of the world was truly impressive. Among those gathered together were thirty Muslim leaders coming from Middle Eastern countries – – Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt – – as well as from Pakistan. In a break from previous policy, a representative from the Patriarch of Moscow attended. So did the Patriarch of Constantinople, along with Sikhs, Confucians, Buddhists, animists, and others.
Jewish leaders and Protestants took part along with the Zoroastrians and Hindus. After the general assembly, the distinct religious groups came together separately to offer their own prayers.
The Assisi meeting was obviously meant to counteract spiritually the horrific attacks of September 11. The pope’s intention, ratified by so many other leaders from around the world, was to refute in particular the terrorist view that justifies violence in the name of religion. Unanimously, religious groups, large and small, reject this view as a perversion of true religious values.
Holding the meeting in the town where St. Francis was born, lived and died was clearly the best place possible. After all, he is a saint universally admired for his commitment to peace among people and with the world of living things. His life demonstrated how a person, because of loving God, can love other people and all of creation.
If this spirit, manifest that day in Assisi, can take permanent hold among the world’s religions, then the meeting will prove to have been an historic milestone indeed. A point often made is that world peace can only come about if the religions of the world are at peace with one another. If so, this event has significance for the future of our global society.
Richard Griffin