October 27, 1986 was an important event in modern peace-making and inter-religious dialogue when Blessed John Paul II initiated a meeting for the representatives of the world’s religions in Assisi, Italy to come and pray together for world peace for the first time. At the closing of the Assisi World Day of Prayer, Pope John Paul II said twenty-five years ago: “For the first time in history, we have come together from everywhere, Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities, and World Religions, in this sacred place dedicated to Saint Francis, before the world, each according to his own conviction, about the transcendent quality of peace. The form and content of our prayers are very different, as we have seen, and there can be no question of reducing them to a kind of common denominator. Yes, in this very difference we have perhaps discovered anew that, regarding the problem of peace and its relation to religious commitment, there is something which binds us together.” Last October 27, 2011, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that historic meeting for peace, Benedict XVI made a pilgrimage to the city of St. Francis, accompanied by representatives of other religions and by non-believers, for a day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world under the theme: “Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace.” The Pontiff and the members of the various religious delegations left the Vatican by train at 8 a.m., reaching Assisi at 9.45 a .m. As the ceremony unfolded inside the basilica, the large numbers of faithful present were able to follow events on giant screens set up in the square outside.

Pope Benedict XVI’s message for the Day of Reflection was moving. He reiterated how religion can never be an excuse for violence as he pronounced these words: “Violence never again! War never again! Terrorism never again! In the name of God, may every religion bring upon the earth Justice and Peace, Forgiveness and Life, Love”. He then continued: “Today’s event is an image of how the spiritual dimension is a key element in the building of peace. Through this unique pilgrimage we have been able to engage in fraternal dialogue, to deepen our friendship, and to come together in silence and prayer. After renewing our commitment to peace and exchanging with one another a sign of peace, we feel even more profoundly involved, together with all the men and women from the communities that we represent, in our common human journey. We are not being separated; we will continue to meet, we will continue to be united in this journey, in dialogue, in the daily building of peace and in our commitment to a better world, a world in which every man and woman, and every people, can live in accordance with their own legitimate aspirations.

"From my heart I thank all of you here present for having accepted my invitation to come to Assisi as pilgrims of truth and peace and I greet each one of you in St. Francis’ own words: May the Lord grant you peace.” During the closing hymn the Pope and the delegations descended from the podium and entered the lower basilica of St. Francis where they remained in silence over the saint’s tomb. The Pontiff then greeted the Franciscan community and, accompanied by the heads of the delegations, travelled by minibus to the railway station of Assisi where he boarded a train for his return to the Vatican.

The next day, in Vatican City, the Holy Father received representatives of various religions, and of nonbelievers who had participated in the Assisi event on the previous day.

Addressing the group in English he thanked them for having taken part in the previous day’s event. “In a certain sense”, he said, “This gathering is representative of the billions of men and women throughout our world who are actively engaged in promoting justice and peace. It is also a sign of the friendship and fraternity which has flourished as the fruit of the efforts of so many pioneers in this kind of dialogue. May this friendship continue to grow among all the followers of the world’s religions and with men and women of good will everywhere.

“Looking back, we can appreciate the foresight of the late Pope John Paul II in convening the first Assisi meeting .... Meetings of this sort are necessarily exceptional and infrequent, yet they are a vivid expression of the fact that every day, throughout our world, people of different religious traditions live and work together in harmony. It is surely significant for the cause of peace that so many men and women, inspired by their deepest convictions, are committed to working for the good of the human family.

“In this way”, Benedict XVI added, “I am sure that yesterday’s meeting has given us a sense of how genuine is our desire to contribute to the good of all our fellow human beings and how much we have to share with one another.

“As we go our separate ways, let us draw strength from this experience and, wherever we may be, let us continue refreshed on the journey that leads to truth, the pilgrimage that leads to peace.”

New City