Assisi: A Place of Peace

On January 24, 1986, I was present in Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls when Pope John Paul II announced that he was inviting the heads of the world’s main religions to come to Assisi later that year to pray for world peace. At that point, I had been working in Rome for four months at the international headquarters of the Order of Friars Minor.

I immediately thought to myself, What a perfect place! Many Christians and non-Christians already feel at home in the city of Sts. Francis and Clare.

On October 27, 1986, I was present in Assisi for this event, covering it as the editor of a Franciscan newsletter that was circulated worldwide.

Who among those present could forget standing in Assisi’s Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels that morning and hearing the announcement in several languages of dignitaries such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Rabbi Elio Toaff of Rome or Chief John Pretty-on-Top from the United States—and the resulting applause?

When the official delegations processed in and took their places before the small chapel that Francis had rebuilt, those present knew this was a unique, graced moment. In all,

the event drew 235 official representatives of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Jainism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism and traditional African and American religions.

The event ended about seven hours later outside the lower Basilica of St. Francis in medieval Assisi. The religious leaders were at the higher end of the large piazza that slopes downward. The rest of us sat or stood as representatives of the various religions prayed one by one for world peace.

I vividly remember a young Jewish man on the shoulders of another Jewish man, facing away from the platform. The man on top held up a mirror to get a better view of the platform. Pope John Paul II urged everyone in the piazza and those present via radio or TV to love peace passionately and to build it up. Similar events were being held around the world.

What an extraordinary day, I thought. How blessed I am to be here.

Bitter Criticism From Some

Not everyone, however, praised this initiative. For Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, head of the Society of St. Pius X, and leaders of many traditionalist Catholics, this event was the final straw, an implicit denial of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and redemption through him.

For them, the “spirit of Assisi” was blasphemy. Lefebvre ordained four bishops without the pope’s approval 14 months later. They were excommunicated for this action. Some other Christians and non-Christians criticized their leaders for taking part in this event. Old complaints resurfaced in January 2002 when the pope coordinated a similar gathering, again in Assisi.

Legacy of That Day

Have these events brought about world peace? No. Have they spotlighted how religious people can promote or obstruct peace? Definitely. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then

head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and then Pope Benedict XVI, was not present for the first event in 1986.

In acknowledging the upcoming 25th anniversary, he said during his Angelus address last January 1: “Next October, I shall go as a pilgrim to the town of St. Francis, inviting my Christian brethren of various denominations, the exponents of the world’s religious traditions to join this pilgrimage and ideally all men and women of good will.”

He noted that the event would be both a commemoration and a renewal, an interfaith commitment to world peace.

“Those journeying to God cannot but transmit peace; those who are building peace cannot but draw close to God,” said Benedict.

Building a Peaceful Society

There can be no genuine peace apart from justice. Indeed, Pope Paul VI wrote for the 1972 Day of Prayer for World Peace, “If you want peace, work for justice.”

Justice will require a difficult change of heart for many people. After all, many people benefit from an unjust status quo, from a skewed sense of what is just and normal.

Peace requires more than recalling the deeds of holy women and men. Indeed, Francis once told his friars, “It is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that the saints have accomplished great things and we want only to receive glory and honor by recounting them” (Admonition VI).

Francis, Clare and all holy women and men have lived the truth about their lives at a very deep level. People of many faiths feel at home in Assisi because Francis and Clare powerfully point us to the truth about God, other people and ourselves.

Are we ready to act on that challenge?

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This first appeared in St. Anthony Messenger magazine.

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"There can be no genuine peace apart from justice."

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