According to a recent Times of Israel report, Islamic and Jewish representatives will join Pope Francis for an interfaith event Sunday at the Vatican. Israeli President Shimon Peres confirmed the news following a visit to his country by the Catholic leader last week.
Pope Francis invited representatives of the two faiths – Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – to the prayer summit, which will focus on peace among the often embattled monotheistic religions.
The leaders will recite applicable passages from their respective holy books.
Peres confirmed the delegation representing Israel will include influential citizens from the Jewish, Muslim, and Druze communities. Abbas will reportedly likewise include Christians in his delegation.
Out of respect for Jewish religious culture, the gathering will not be held in a venue dedicated to prayer but in an unadorned garden at the Vatican. Viewers around the world will be able to witness the interfaith event via a live broadcast.
Marking the first time Islamic prayer will be held at the Catholic palace, many question the propriety of hosting leaders of a faith that teaches the conversion or slaughter of nonbelievers.
A sense of disbelief was evident in a series of Twitter posts Friday afternoon:
Photo Credit: Edgar Jiménez (Creative Commons)