Christian World | Pope Leo XIV told an American Jewish Committee delegation at the Vatican on 22 October 2026 that rejecting religious and ethnic hatred is essential

ACW | October 22, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV told a delegation of the American Jewish Committee at the Vatican on Thursday that rejecting every form of religious and ethnic hatred and discrimination is essential, Vatican News reported.

The Pope said the friendship between Christians and Jews, rooted in a "shared spiritual heritage", calls both to defend human dignity and serve the poor. "Essential to this commitment is the rejection of all forms of religious and ethnic hatred and discrimination," he said.

He added that "the Church does not tolerate anti-Semitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself." "Differences of opinion, however profound, must never give rise to prejudice and hostility," he said.

According to Vatican News, the Pope described this commitment to fraternity as "especially urgent" in a world wounded by violence and mistrust.

Background: The Pope recalled Pope St. John Paul II's 1995 address to the Committee, which said dialogue between Christians and Jews must find expression in the life of both communities. The meeting came a day after Vatican doctors said Pope Leo needs no further treatment for lung cancer.

Why it matters: Vatican News reported that the Pope thanked the Committee for promoting human dignity and protecting religious freedom. Rejecting religious hatred is a foundation of freedom of religion or belief; in Afghanistan, UNAMA's latest quarterly update reported the Taliban closed at least 10 Shia institutions in Kabul and Ghazni.

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Source: Vatican News — Pope to American Jewish Committee: 'We reject together all forms of hatred'

Photo: Vatican Media