Pope Leo to visit Assisi 40 years after historic prayer meeting
Pope Leo XIV will visit Assisi on October 27, 2026, for the 40th anniversary of the interreligious peace prayer initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1986. The October 25–27 gathering, titled “Disarmed and Disarming Peace,” will bring together 384 representatives of religions, cultures and institutions from 53 countries. Participants will discuss peace, conflict, migration, disarmament, Christian unity and other issues in 24 thematic forums. Pope Leo and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will offer meditations at a prayer for peace, followed by the Pope’s message in the piazza outside the Basilica of Saint Francis.
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Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Assisi on October 27 for an interreligious gathering marking 40 years since Pope John Paul II’s landmark 1986 prayer meeting for peace. The October 25–27 event will bring religious, cultural and institutional representatives together under the theme “Disarmed and Disarming Peace.”
On October 27, 1986, John Paul II invited representatives of world religions to Assisi to pray together for peace—a first in history. The meeting inspired the Community of Sant’Egidio, which has since promoted an annual “Spirit of Assisi” gathering in Europe and elsewhere.
The 2026 event was presented at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. Sant’Egidio president Marco Impagliazzo said the gathering’s approach to interreligious dialogue had become especially necessary in a globalized world marked by fear, nationalism and racism.
The gathering is expected to include 384 representatives of religions, cultures and institutions from 53 countries. Its 155 speakers will take part in 24 forums covering topics such as conflict, prayer, the economy, migration, disarmament, young people, Christian unity, the poor and contemporary martyrs.
Leo’s theme, “Disarmed and Disarming Peace,” draws on his own words. On the final day, he is due to pray with the Christian community in Assisi’s Lower Basilica; Patriarch Bartholomew will also offer a meditation during the special prayer for peace. Leo is then expected to deliver a message in the piazza outside the Basilica of Saint Francis.
Interreligious dialogue advances peace while preserving Christian identity
Interreligious dialogue can advance peace precisely when it is honest about religious difference. In Catholic teaching, dialogue is neither a substitute for proclaiming Christ nor a demand that Christians conceal or dilute their faith. It is a way of meeting others with respect, seeking truth together, and cooperating for the common good.
Dialogue builds relationships of respect and trust. Where conflict has left suspicion and broken relationships, it can help communities address disputes, restore justice, heal memories, and work toward reconciliation. It can also support shared efforts for justice, peace, and the common good, including the defense of religious freedom.
This work does not mean treating religion as a source of peace automatically. Rather, the Church calls religious communities to use their traditions’ resources to overcome division and build reciprocal friendship and respect.
For Christians, dialogue takes place as disciples of Jesus. They should be willing to listen and cooperate, but they need not pretend that their convictions are unimportant or set them aside to make an encounter comfortable. Pope Francis describes such pretense as inauthentic, while affirming that dialogue and evangelization can nourish one another.
Christian identity includes faith in Christ and belonging to the Church, with its mission of announcing the message of Christ’s love. Accordingly, Christians may explain their beliefs clearly and respectfully, without coercion or disrespect for another person’s freedom. Catholic teaching also rejects religious relativism—the idea that religious differences do not matter or that all religions are simply interchangeable—while recognizing elements of truth and holiness in other religions.
The claim that dialogue advances peace while preserving Christian identity is therefore sound, provided both parts remain together. Dialogue without openness to others can become mere confrontation; dialogue that requires Christians to hide or abandon their faith becomes false fraternity. The Catholic approach is to meet others as they are, speak truth with gentleness, acknowledge genuine differences, and work together where possible for peace and human dignity.