Papal letter to Japanese interfaith meeting encourages prayer for peace

August 04, 2017

Pope Francis has sent a letter to participants in the 30th annual interfaith prayer meeting on Mount Hiei in Kyoto, Japan.

The meeting concludes on August 6, the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

“This annual religious summit contributes in a special way to the building up of that spirit of dialogue and friendship which allows the followers of the world’s religions to work together to open new paths for peace in our human family,” the Pope said in his letter, which was addressed to Koei Morikawa, a Buddhist leader with whom he met last September.

Morikawa, 92, became the 257th Tendai Buddhist head priest in 2015. The founder of Tendai Buddhism, which is based in Japan, was Saicho (767-822).

Pope Francis went to say that prayer “inspires and sustains our efforts for peace, because it helps to deepen our reciprocal respect for each other as persons, strengthens the bonds of love between us, and spurs us to make decisive efforts towards promoting just relations and fraternal solidarity.”

 

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Further information:

• Pope Francis sends letter to interfaith prayer meeting in Japan (Vatican Radio)
• Buddhist leader meets with Pope (CWN, 9/16/16)