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Pope Francis’ message to the International Meeting for Peace
organized by the Community of Sant’ Egidio
[Paris, 22-24 September 2024]
“Stop wars! We are now destroying the world! Let us stop while there is still time!
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to greet all of you, representatives of the Churches and Christian communities and of the great religions of the world, as well as the civil authorities present.
I thank the Community of Sant’ Egidio for the passion and creativity with which it continues to keep the spirit of Assisi alive.
Thirty-eight years have passed since 1986, when the first meeting for peace took place.
Since then, many events have marked our world: the fall of the Berlin Wall, the beginning of the third millennium, the spread of fundamentalist ideologies and the outbreak of conflicts with global repercussions, not to mention the challenges posed by climate change, the emergence of new and converging technologies, and the pandemics that have affected humanity.
Indeed, we are in the midst of “epochal changes” without having, at present, a clear idea of where they will lead us.
Nevertheless, each year, as representatives of the world’s great religions and men and women of good will, you have travelled as pilgrims to different cities in Europe and throughout the world, in order to keep the spirit of Assisi alive.
In doing so, you remind us of the challenge to which my predecessor, Saint John Paul II, referred in his words at the end of that memorable day (Basilica of Saint Francis, 27 October 1986). He said “perhaps more than ever before in history, the intrinsic link between an authentic religious attitude and the great good of peace has become evident to all… Together we have filled our eyes with visions of peace: they release energies for a new language of peace, for new gestures of peace, gestures which will break the fatal chains of division inherited from history or created by modern ideologies. Peace awaits its builders”.
The spirit of Assisi is a blessing for our world, which is still torn by numerous wars and acts of violence. The “spirit” of Assisi must blow even stronger in the sails of dialogue and friendship between peoples.
This year you are meeting in Paris, and this evening you are gathered in front of the cathedral, which is about to reopen its doors for prayer after the tragic fire. How much we need to pray for peace!
The danger that the many conflicts in our world will not end, but rather spread dangerously, is all too real. I add my voice to yours, and to the voices of all the victims of war, to urge political leaders: “Stop the war! Stop the wars!”. We are destroying the world now! Let us stop while there is still time!
May this meeting encourage all believers to rediscover their vocation to promote fraternity between peoples in our time. Too often in the past, religions have been used to fuel conflicts and wars.
The danger of this still exists today.
Allow me to reiterate once more the conviction that I expressed together with Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb: “Religions must never incite war, hateful attitudes, hostility and extremism, nor must they incite violence or the shedding of blood. These tragic realities are the consequence of a deviation from religious teachings.
They are the result of the political manipulation of religions and of the interpretations of religious groups which, throughout history, have exploited the religious sentiments in the hearts of men and women”.
We must prevent religions from succumbing to the temptation to become a means of fomenting forms of nationalism, ethnocentrism and populism.
Wars only escalate. Woe to those who try to involve God in taking sides in wars!!
The urgent task of the religions is to promote visions of peace, as you are demonstrating these days in Paris. As men and women of different cultures and religious beliefs, you have experienced the power and beauty of universal fraternity. This is the vision our world needs today.
I encourage you to persevere in your efforts to be artisans of peace.
While others continue to make war, together we can work for peace.
In the Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, I urged believers to “”make a significant contribution to building fraternity and defending justice in society”. Dialogue between the followers of different religions does not take place simply for the sake of diplomacy, consideration or tolerance. In the words of the Bishops of India, ‘the aim of dialogue is to build friendship, peace and harmony, and to share spiritual and moral values and experiences in a spirit of truth and love’”. In this context, the title of this meeting in Paris – “Imagine Peace” – is most eloquent.
We need to meet again and again, to weave bonds of brotherhood and to allow ourselves to be guided by the divine inspiration present in every faith, so that together we can “imagine peace” among all peoples.
We need such “occasions to speak with one another and to act together for the common good and the promotion of the poor”.
In a world in danger of being torn apart by conflicts and wars, the efforts of believers are invaluable in offering visions of peace and in promoting fraternity and peace among peoples everywhere.
Distinguished representatives of the Churches and Christian communities and of the great religions of the world, men and women of good will who are participating in this meeting!
Today, even more than in the past, a great responsibility for peace has been placed in your hands.
This calls for wisdom, courage, generosity and determination on our part. God has also placed in our hands his dream for the world: fraternity among all peoples.
In my Encyclicals Laudato Sì and Fratelli Tutti, I “imagined” a future for this world of ours: a single home (our planet) and a single family (that of all peoples).
God has entrusted all of us with the responsibility encouraging and guiding the members of our human family to live together in fraternity and peace.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 17 September 2024
FRANCIS
