Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

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Pope Francis meets with Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, head of the Supreme Sangha Council, in Yangon, Myanmar, Nov. 29, 2017.

Vatican to Buddhists: May the pandemic ‘unite us in service’

May 26, 2021

By CNA Staff

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sent greetings for the Buddhist feast of Vesakh. Read more

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Aug. 2019

Vatican statement on Ramadan: 'Christians and Muslims are called to be bearers of hope'

Apr 16, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican’s interreligious dialogue council released a statement Friday sending “fraternal good wishes” to Muslims for the month of Ramadan. Read more

St. Peter's Square, pictured on April 3, 2016.

Vatican official: Human fraternity is the Christian response to identity politics

Sep 3, 2020

The secretary of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has argued that as tribalism and identity politics increase, the... Read more

People pass in front of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of May 2020.

Vatican dicastery joins call for ‘interreligious solidarity’ amid pandemic

Aug 27, 2020

Christians should respond to the coronavirus pandemic by showing “interreligious solidarity,” a new document jointly issued by a Vatican dicastery... Read more

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Vatican backs worldwide interfaith day of prayer and fasting

May 12, 2020

By Courtney Mares

On May 14, people of all religious affiliations are called to participate in a day of prayer, fasting, and acts... Read more

Tehran skyline with flag.

Vatican delegation in Iran discuss human rights with Muslim leaders

Nov 15, 2019

By Courtney Mares

A Vatican delegation traveled to Tehran this week to discuss opportunities for Catholics and Muslims to serve humanity together.  Read more

St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis appoints new head of Vatican’s interreligious dialogue

May 25, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis appointed Spanish Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot Saturday as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.  Read more

View of the golden temple in Amritsar, India.

Vatican urges Christians, Sikhs to foster 'culture of tenderness'

Nov 23, 2018

Ahead of a major holiday for adherents of Sikhism, a Vatican council encouraged Christians and Sikhs alike to promote greater... Read more

Lights for the celebration of the Hindu festival Diwali.

In Diwali message to Hindus, Vatican officials call for mutual respect

Oct 16, 2017

By Elise Harris

With tensions between Christians and Hindu nationalists in India increasingly on the rise, the Vatican sent a message marking the... Read more

al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo.

Pope Francis wants more dialogue with Islam. Is Egypt the key?

Feb 25, 2016

By Andrea Gagliarducci

For Pope Francis, dialogue with Islam is a core issue. He recently voiced hopes to meet a major Sunni leader:... Read more

A Muslim chaplain of the US Navy prays during Ramadan at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand, Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2011.

Cardinal sends Ramadan wishes to suffering Muslims, rebukes religious violence

Jun 25, 2015

In an oblique rebuke to the Islamic State and other militants, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran has wished Muslims a peaceful and... Read more

(L-R) Tareq Oubrou, Bishop Michel Dubost of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, Djelloul Seddiki, Fr. Christophe Roucou, and Mohammed Moussaoui in Rome, Jan. 8, 2015.

French imams, Vatican: 'Without freedom of expression, the world is in danger'

Jan 8, 2015

By Andrea Gagliarducci

French imams visiting the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue released Thursday a joint communique condemning the attack on Charlie Hebdo... Read more

A church and a mosque adjacent one another in Ferizaj, Kosovo.

For Catholics and Muslims, interreligious dialogue a path to peace

Dec 7, 2014

By Andrea Gagliarducci

Pursuing interreligious dialogue and opening hearts and minds to others are the way to face troubled times, stressed participants in... Read more

Persons displaced by the Islamic State who have sought refuge in Ankawa, Erbil, Iraq.

Vatican diplomacy focuses on humanitarian intervention in Iraq

Aug 13, 2014

The persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria by the Islamic State has pushed Vatican diplomacy... Read more

These two displaced people who fled the Islamic State to Ankawa, in Erbil, are among the more than 1.2 million displaced persons in Iraq.

Vatican official calls for military protection of Iraqi Christians

Aug 13, 2014

The Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations on Saturday urged the international community to provide humanitarian assistance and... Read more