The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews announced this Thursday, October 23, the organization of a commemorative event for the 60th anniversary of the conciliar declaration Nostra Aetate, which will be held next October 28, 2025 in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican, under the title “Walking Together in Hope”.
The event—which will take place between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.—aims to celebrate six decades of dialogue, friendship, and cooperation among believers of different religions, inspired by one of the most influential documents of the Second Vatican Council. According to the official statement, the initiative also seeks to reaffirm the commitment to peace, justice, and human fraternity in a time marked by divisions and global conflicts.
Broad Religious and Cultural Representation
The event will feature the participation of leaders and representatives from numerous religious traditions, including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, and traditional African religions. Also attending will be members of the Roman Curia, the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Catholic delegates dedicated to interreligious dialogue, academics, and young people from various countries.
The program will include personal interventions, music, and cultural representations centered on unity in diversity, a key concept of the Nostra Aetate declaration, promulgated on October 28, 1965, under the pontificate of Saint Paul VI, which opened a new horizon in the Church’s relations with non-Christian religions.
Leo XIV Will Deliver the Central Message
The highlight of the day will be the speech by Pope Leo XIV, followed by a silent prayer for peace. According to the Holy See, the event seeks “to give new impetus to the shared mission of sowing seeds of dialogue and hope for future generations”.
Additionally, on Wednesday, October 29, during the General Audience, the Holy Father will dedicate his catechesis to the theme of Nostra Aetate and the meaning of interreligious dialogue today, in the presence of numerous religious leaders who will participate in the celebrations.