Pope says Christians, Muslims Jews say God calls people to love

Published: 2004-11-18

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The heart of the message proclaimed by Christians, Muslims and Jews is that God calls all people to follow the path of love and justice, Pope John Paul II said. "May God help us follow this path with perseverance and patience," the pope said at the end of a Nov. 18 audience with eight religious leaders from Azerbaijan. The Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders -- led by Sheik Allahshurkur Pashazade, Azerbaijan's leading cleric -- came to the Vatican to thank the pope for his 2002 visit to Azerbaijan. The pope praised Sheik Pashazade as a man who has worked "to build peace in a region where, unfortunately, violent conflicts continue." And he praised the country's tiny Jewish community for giving witness to the possibilities of "coexistence and fraternal collaboration" in a country where more than 93 percent of the people are Muslim.

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