Meeting with Leaders of Christian Communities and Religious Traditions in the “Palacio San Martín”

At 17.40 (21.40 in Rome), the Holy Father Leo XIV arrived by car at the Palacio San Martín for the meeting with leaders of Christian communities and religious traditions.

Upon arrival, the Pope was welcomed by the Minister Chancellor, His Excellency Mr. Pablo Quirno; the President of the Episcopal Conference, Bishop Marcelo Daniel Colombo; Archbishop Jorge Ignacio García Cuervo of Buenos Aires; and six representatives of different Christian denominations and religious traditions. Together, they entered the building and proceeded to the Salón Libertador on the first floor.

Following an entrance hymn, the Minister-Chancellor’s introduction, and the words of welcome from the Chair of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Relations with Judaism, Islam and Other Religions, the Holy Father delivered his address.

Subsequently, a member of the Commission lit a candle, and a minute’s silence for peace was observed.

At the end, following the final hymn, Pope Leo XIV made his way to the Salón Ocre while the religious leaders proceeded to the palace courtyard. The Holy Father then joined them in the courtyard for a group photograph, took his leave of the Minister-Chancellor and left the palace.

At approximately 18.30 (22.30 Rome time), the Pontiff entered the car and travelled to the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity for the celebration of Vespers with the Argentine episcopate and the Synodal Teams.

The following is the address delivered by the Holy Father to those present during the meeting:

Address of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Dear friends who worship the one God,
Esteemed representatives of various religious traditions,

I am pleased to greet you during this Apostolic Journey. Our meeting rests on the pillars of dialogue and friendship, which were fundamental in the life of Pope Francis and which we now wish to strengthen by building new bridges, that is, new paths of cooperation in the society in which we live. I am here among you as the Successor of the Apostle Peter, and as I profess with him faith in Christ, “the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16), true God and true man, I acknowledge the baptismal unity with our brothers and sisters of the Christian confessions. In accordance with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, I wish to reaffirm the spiritual ties that unite the Church to the Jewish people (cf. Nostra Aetate, 4) and our sincere respect for whatever is holy and true in the different religious traditions (cf. ibid., 2).

The identity of the Argentinian people has taken shape like a melting pot of different races, cultures and religions. It has been formed by the native peoples and by countless immigrants from different parts of the world who arrived in this land over the centuries, bringing with them their dreams and their faith —Catholics, Evangelicals and Jews at first, and later many others. In all their diversity, they learned to work together, form families and communities, and build settlements and villages, “in an admirable symbiosis with the local traditions” (Saint John Paul II, Homily, Paraná Airport, 9 April 1987). In this way they gave unity to the nation and carried forward common projects. Religions were never a cause of division, but rather a meeting point and a source of commitment to society.

Today, too, each of us bears witness to a creed which we have chosen to live by, making it an outstretched hand with which to share cultural values and good works. Our meeting is founded on listening, which makes mutual understanding possible and allows us to reflect together on an action that we perform every day, namely prayer. In the various religions, people pray raising their voices to God. In keeping with our respective traditions, countless languages, songs and gestures converge heavenward, as though gathering before the ineffable mystery of our existence (cf. Nostra Aetate, 1).

It is precisely this particular form of human language called prayer that invites us to listen to one another’s voices, and not only to the words we utter. When we speak to God, it is we ourselves who speak: prayer therefore expresses who we are before God. The religious dimension of the human person is like a mirror reflecting our being, our thoughts, affections and relationships. In the digital age especially, prayer helps us overcome distractions, discovering in silence the value of listening.

Focusing on this experience, I would like to consider with you today three aspects that emerge from sincere prayer, in which our beliefs find a voice: religions as guardians of human dignity, religions as expressions of our freedom, and religions as places in which to cultivate hope.

First of all, every religion bears witness to the fact that the human person is defined by need and desire: we are all yearning for life. Our lungs seek air as our conscience seeks goodness. Every day we seek water as we seek truth; we need nourishment as we need justice. In this regard, religions remind everyone that we are made of more than matter. Indeed, our very flesh bears the imprint of an abundance of life and meaning. This same desire, which becomes a cry and a plea, bears witness to the fact that we do not come from nothing and were not made for death. In this way, then, religions safeguard human dignity. In prayer, which expresses our faith, the ideals of goodness and justice, health and peace are not empty words to be filled with selfish interests, but testimonies to our common will, which is directed toward joy. Whenever we pray, therefore, we must care for those who live alongside us, making the words we utter authentic through renewed fraternity. As we praise God for the gift of life, let us defend it, always and for everyone, from conception to its natural end, especially when it is threatened by poverty and violence. In this way religions promote the dignity of every man and woman in the family, in education, in work and in the environment.

Second, when human beings speak to God, they know that they themselves are not God. We did not make the earth. So let us not destroy with our own hands the “garden” that the Creator has entrusted to us! In this regard, insofar as religions safeguard the wisdom of peoples, they build up society, educate consciences and free us from idols: the idol of domination, because we are not the god of others; the idol of vainglory, because the things we possess do not make us divine; and the idol of war, because there is only one Lord and Judge of history. He continually gives us life and cares for all peoples. The true name of his power is love, a love that knows no end. As we praise God for the gift of salvation, let us commit ourselves to being a sign of this gift for the world. In this way, religions give the fullest expression to our freedom.

Third, when human beings speak to God, they open themselves to the future. Yes, the future is the time of faith. Religions are a bond between generations, an age-old memory, prophecy, expectation and promise. That is why believers always look to the future with hope. When the light of faith pierces the darkness of death, hope is restored to the future of every man and woman, of society and of the whole world. Our waiting together then becomes productive, because hope encourages us to weave bonds of a good life, which free us from solitude and bring peoples together in harmony. The very word “religion” shows this, for religare means to connect, to bind people to one another. This relationship sustains our journey through history. Therefore, as we praise God for the gift of hope, let us share it with those who suffer in poverty, with those who have lost the meaning of life and with all who wish to commit themselves to renewing the world in justice. Becoming prayer and proclamation, our language is thus transformed into eloquent charity, which inspires every action.

Herein lies our service to humanity: to build a better future for all, as we await the blessed fulfilment of history. We are indeed certain that the more genuinely men and women come to know themselves, caring for their own dignity, the closer they draw to God. Thus, every good word spoken to someone we meet, every good gesture directed toward our neighbor, rises like a prayer ever pleasing to the Author of justice, who invites everyone to peace. In this regard, as Saint John Paul II said, together “we wish to show the world that the genuine impulse to prayer does not lead to opposition and still less to disdain of others, but rather to constructive dialogue, a dialogue in which each one, without relativism or syncretism of any kind, becomes more deeply aware of the duty to bear witness and to proclaim” (Address to the Representatives of the World Religions, 24 January 2002). These words, spoken in Assisi on a day of prayer for peace, remain urgently relevant. Today they are a reason for gratitude for the commitment of us all and a source of encouragement for each person’s journey. Dear brothers and sisters, may every day be a time of prayer, so that everyone’s life may reflect the dignity and goodness that we have received from God to share with one another.

Let us make our own the prayer left to us by my predecessor Pope Francis, which commits us to doing good:

Lord, Father of our human family,
you created all human beings equal in dignity:
pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit
and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter,
dialogue, justice and peace.
Move us to create healthier societies
and a more dignified world,
a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.
May our hearts be open
to all the peoples and nations of the earth.
May we recognize the goodness and beauty
that you have sown in each of us,
and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects
and shared dreams. Amen.

(Fratelli Tutti, “A Prayer to the Creator,” No. 287.)

May the Almighty bless our enthusiasm for humanity and inspire our commitment to peace: the peace that will be fulfilled forever in the holy name of God. Thank you.