Real peace can be achieved in Assisi, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, asserted as Pope Francis arrived in the Umbrian town for the World Day for Prayer and Peace this morning (Tuesday 20 September).
Peace is possible: not peace in an abstract way, or in theory, but a peace among people who are different in belief, in faith, in culture," Paglia said in an interview with Vatican Radio. "The sign of the current time is the reality of Assisi”.
He added that the multi-faith gathering in Assisi is a great gesture towards peace in a world of conflict, difficulty, and violence: “Difficulties can be overcome if we obey the Holy Spirit of Assisi. In the sense the presence here of the Pope and a lot of religious leaders means that their people can follow them. Their people can believe that peace and the dialogue are possible.”
Pagila says that the spirit of Assisi is alive and is the lifestyle to live by. He says that “We are in this world to live in peace with each other and our differences in the sense that the spirit of Assisi is a common spirit. It is to be the spirit of the common people, is to be the spirit of leaders, and it is to be the spirit of all people who lead in their different fields.
“We hope that the prophecy of Assisi can reach the hearts of the common people and of the leaders of this world.”
The archbishop added: “I think that the pope, as a father, as a common father, will try to gather everyone. Not in order to impose his Catholic or Christian vision, but in order to push as a church to guide all people in order to become the one family created by the Holy Father.”
- BISHOP OF ASSISI EVOKES SPIRIT OF ST JOHN PAUL II AT START OF MULTI-FAITH SUMMIT
- JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS SET OUT PATHWAYS TO PEACE IN ASSISI
Pope Francis travelled by helicopter from the Vatican to the hilltop town of Assisi where he was greeted by Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi and other local dignitaries at the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels (pictured).
From there he travelled by car to the Holy Convent of Assisi where he was met by Father Mauro Gambetti, Custodian of the Holy Convent, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, a Muslim reprepresentative, Dr Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Syro-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Efrem II, a Jewish representative and the Supreme Head of Tendai Buddhism (Japan). They then move to the Cloister of Sixtus IV where the representatives of Christian denominations and World Religions are waiting.
Over 500 global religious leaders are expected this week for the gathering which began on Monday morning in the Umbrian town which was the birthplace of St Francis. Today (20 September) Pope Francis joined the gathering where he is due to sign a peace appeal with the leaders of all the religions gathered in Assisi. He is then expected to meet representatives from other faiths, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I.
The number of people attending this Assisi includes 500 representatives of nine religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism), 12,000 participants and more than 1,500 volunteers. There are 29 panels, 19 venues for meetings and prayers and 7 big screens relaying events across the town.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL VATICAN LIVE STREAM FROM ASSISI (starts 2.50pm BST)
Loading ...
