Christian World | Patriarch Paul III Nona of Baghdad says martyrs' blood unites churches and dialogue is the only option for multi-faith societies, Vatican News reports.

ACW | October 28, 2026 — Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad Paul III Nona said on Tuesday, October 27, at the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi that dialogue is "the only option" in societies where people of many faiths live together, Vatican News reported.

Speaking on the last day of the meeting, Nona described contemporary martyrs as a way to think about unity. "When they were killed, no one thought, 'they are from this church or that church,'" he said.

He said martyrdom is found in many religious traditions and called for "the tradition of life, not death, the culture of life, not the culture of death."

"The best way to have a dialogue or to contribute to peace is to have a good relationship with the other," the patriarch added.

Background: Vatican News recalled that Pope John Paul II said in Assisi in 1986 that religions can and should contribute to peace. ACW earlier reported Pope Leo's message to the same meeting.

Why it matters: Vatican News cites the World Watch List 2026, which says more than 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination, or one in seven worldwide; Nona named dialogue as the only option in this context.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Source: Vatican News — Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad: 'The only option we have is dialogue'

Photo: Vatican News