Paul Juma Makhandia

Pope Francis has been a worldwide symbol of interfaith dialogue as a proponent of unity, peace, and mutual understanding for diverse religious traditions during his papacy since 2013. Through creation of bridges among faith communities and an atmosphere of cooperation and respect.

One of his most salient and beautiful initiatives has been building bridges with Islam. His landmark Summit meeting with Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, led to the signing of the Document in 2019 in Mecca. This Document on Human Fraternity advocates for coexistence and forbidding the violence justified by religion. His trips to Muslim-majority countries, such as UAE & Iraq also reflected his intention on dialogue and peace too like his visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Pope Francis has also strengthened ties with the Jewish community-in their Abrahamic Faith, continuing and fostering the great work of his predecessors to build up Catholic-Jewish relations. His rare visits to synagogues, his acknowledgment of Jewish suffering during the Holocaust, his reiteration of our common spiritual heritage all reflect his steadfast commitment to building bridges of friendship and strong ties between the two faiths.

Furthermore, the Pope has reached out to Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous spiritualities in promoting care for creation, social justice and the dignity of all people. His encyclicals, above all Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, contain universality that transcends denominational boundaries.

At a time of global divisions and polarization, Pope Francis continues to glow in pivotal role fostering interreligious harmony. He manifests to the world a unifying factor of faith, a faith which is non-divisive and non- oppressive, a faith that gathers persons of varied origin and religion for a more equitable world.