Interreligious peace gathering in U.S. marks 20 years since Assisi

Published: 2006-04-27

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Themes of prayer, peace, justice, love, dialogue and care for the poor intermingled as representatives of world religions gathered at Georgetown University in Washington April 26 for the 2006 International Prayer for Peace. It marked the 20th anniversary of the first such gathering, convened by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Assisi, Italy, and it was the first time the yearly interreligious prayer and dialogue meeting was held in the United States. Religious leaders of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Shintoists and Sikhs were among the more than 500 participants. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of the Washington Archdiocese, one of the co-sponsors of the two-day gathering, told the group that by coming together they were fulfilling Pope John Paul's dream "that we would pray together for peace." "Religion and Cultures: The Courage of Dialogue" was the overall theme of the two-day gathering, co-sponsored by Georgetown University, the Washington Archdiocese, The Catholic University of America and the Rome-based Sant'Egidio Community.

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