Pope John Paul II at Large Interreligious Gatherings Božidar Nagy

Abstract

When Pope John Paul II became the head of the Catholic Church in 1978, interreligious dialogue, for which the Second Vatican Council opened the door in theory, was then actually put into practice. On his numerous international journeys, Pope John Paul II always met at least once with representatives of other religions. From the wealth and wide range of activities undertaken by John Paul II in the sphere of interreligious dialogue, this article singles out three great events which marked in a special way the thirty–year period of interreligious dialogue inspired by Pope John Paul II himself. These were the interreligious encounters in Assisi in 1986, in Rome in 1999 and again in Assisi in 2002. In the course of all meetings with representatives of other religions, Pope John Paul II always highlighted the need for dialogue, promotion of common values and community engagement for the good of mankind.