Religious leaders remember Pope Francis as champion of dialogue

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Religious leaders from around the world mourned the death of Pope Francis April 21, hailing him as a tireless advocate for interreligious dialogue and unity among faith traditions.

From Buddhist monks to Protestant bishops and Muslim scholars, tributes highlighted the late pope's deep personal commitment to building bridges between religious communities, often through historic meetings and joint declarations that left a lasting mark on the global religious landscape.

Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt's Al-Azhar mosque and university considered to be a preeminent scholar in Sunni Islam, called Pope Francis "a brother in humanity" who led a "life devoted to the service of humanity, championing the causes of the vulnerable and promoting dialogue among religions and cultures."

"Pope Francis was a humanitarian icon of the highest order," the grand imam said in a statement posted on Facebook April 21. "Under his papacy, the relationship between Al-Azhar and the Vatican experienced remarkable growth, beginning with His Holiness's participation in the Al-Azhar International Conference for Peace in 2017 (in Cairo, Egypt), and followed by the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in 2019 (in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)."

Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, remembered the late pope as "a true moral leader, a man of deep faith and humanity, and a steadfast friend to the Jewish people."

"From his early years in Argentina to his papacy," Lauder wrote, "Pope Francis was deeply committed to fostering interfaith dialogue and ensuring that the memory of the Holocaust remained a guiding lesson for future generations."

Among Pope Francis' closest interreligious collaborators was Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew of Constantinople, who said the pope was "a faithful friend, companion and supporter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate."

In a statement delivered via livestream on Facebook, the patriarch recalled their meeting in Jerusalem in 2014, where they prayed before the tomb believed to be where Jesus resurrected.

He added that he had proposed to the pope that they celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea together in Turkey, to which Pope Francis enthusiastically responded: "This is an amazing thought, an amazing idea and proposal," according to a translation by The Orthodox Times. Now, however, the Catholic Church's participation in the celebration will be left to Pope Francis' successor, the patriarch said.

Anglican Bishop Anthony Poggo, secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, said Pope Francis' legacy included "renewal of the Church's structures through synodality and the voice of women and lay people" -- developments that drew strength from ecumenical friendships.

"His commitment to dialogue, understanding and shared mission opened new avenues of collaboration between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion," Bishop Poggo said. The pope traveled with the then-Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and the Rev. Iain Greenshields, former moderator of the Church of Scotland on what he called a "pilgrimage of peace" to South Sudan in 2024.

Leaders of the World Methodist Council reflected on a private audience they had with Pope Francis in December 2024, recalling how he addressed historical suspicion between Catholics and Methodists with honesty and warmth, saying, "We are progressing together in knowledge, in mutual understanding and love."

In a joint statement, Methodist Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, president of the council, and Rev. Reynaldo Leão Neto, council secretary-general, called the late pope "a voice for unity in love and diversity."

The Lutheran World Federation noted the pope's pivotal role in ecumenical milestones such as the 2016 joint commemoration of the Reformation in Lund, Sweden. The Rev. Anne Burghardt, LWF secretary-general, said, "We give thanks for his life and legacy of reform, renewal and unity, which opened doors of dialogue and brought the church closer to people from all walks of life."

Nearly all the leaders expressed hope that the strengthened relations forged under the late pope would continue to grow deeper; Patriarch Bartholomew prayed for God to "raise up on the throne of St. Peter a worthy successor who will embrace the ideals of Pope Francis and continue his valuable work for all humanity."