Editing Pope John Paul II (section)

== Relations with other world religions ==

=== Animism ===
In his book-length interview ''[[Crossing the Threshold of Hope]]'' with the Italian journalist [[Vittorio Messori]] published in 1995, John Paul II draws parallels between [[animism]] and Christianity. He wrote:

<blockquote>"...&nbsp;it would be helpful to recall ... the animist religions which stress ancestor worship. It seems that those who practise them are particularly close to Christianity, and among them, the Church's missionaries also find it easier to speak a common language. Is there, perhaps, in this veneration of ancestors a kind of preparation for the Christian faith in the Communion of Saints, in which all believers—whether living or dead—form a single community, a single body? ... There is nothing strange, then, that the African and Asian animists would become believers in Christ more easily than followers of the great religions of the Far East."<ref>John Paul II. ''Crossing the Threshold of Hope'', p. 82, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1994 {{ISBN|978-0-307-76457-7}}</ref></blockquote>

In 1985, the pope visited the African country of [[Togo]], where 60 per cent of the population espouses animist beliefs. To honour the pope, animist religious leaders met him at a Catholic Marian shrine in the forest, much to the pontiff's delight. John Paul II proceeded to call for the need for religious tolerance, praised nature, and emphasised common elements between animism and Christianity, saying:

<blockquote>"Nature, exuberant and splendid in this area of forests and lakes, impregnates spirits and hearts with its mystery and orients them spontaneously toward the mystery of He who is the author of life. It is this religious sentiment that animates you and one can say that animates all of your compatriots."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/10/world/pope-visits-palace-in-togo-then-a-woman-s-mud-hut.html Pope Visits Palace in Togo, Then a Woman's Mud Hut] ''The New York Times'', 10 August 1985</ref></blockquote>

During the investiture of President [[Thomas Boni Yayi]] of [[Benin]] as a titled [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] [[Nigerian Chieftaincy|chieftain]] on 20 December 2008, the reigning [[Ooni of Ile-Ife]], [[Nigeria]], [[Olubuse II]], referred to John Paul II as a previous recipient of the same royal honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theooni.org/soko.htm |title=His Imperial Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse ll- The Ooni of Ife |publisher=Theooni.org |date=20 December 2008 |access-date=28 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303202401/http://theooni.org/soko.htm |archive-date=3 March 2013 }}</ref>

=== Buddhism ===
Tenzin Gyatso, the [[14th Dalai Lama]], visited John Paul&nbsp;II eight times. The two men held many similar views and understood similar plights, both coming from nations affected by Communism and both serving as heads of major religious bodies.<ref name="Dalai" /><ref name="Lama" /> As Archbishop of Kraków, long before the 14th Dalai Lama was a world-famous figure, Wojtyła held special Masses to pray for the Tibetan people's non-violent struggle for freedom from [[Maoist China]].<ref>Levi, Mons. Virgilio and Christine Allison. ''John Paul II: A Tribute in Words and Pictures'', p. 165, William Morrow, 1999 {{ISBN|978-0-688-16621-2}}</ref> In 1987, he welcomed participants of the ''East-West Spiritual Exchanges'', an initiative by the [[Monastic Interreligious Dialogue]] (DIMMID) and the Institute for Zen Studies in which Buddhist and Christian monks or nuns take turns residing for one month in each other's monasteries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=de Béthune |first1=Pierre-François |title=Bethune Experience of Hospitality |journal=Dilatato Corde |date=2022 |volume=XII |issue=2 July – December |url=https://dimmid.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={2184B240-66D1-41C6-B233-21976A735E16}&DE= |access-date=16 February 2024 |publisher=DIMMID}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=To the participants in the "East-West Spiritual Exchanges" (September 9, 1987) {{!}} John Paul II |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1987/september/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19870909_religiosi-zen.html |website=www.vatican.va |publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana |access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref> During his 1995 visit to [[Sri Lanka]], a country where a majority of the population adheres to [[Theravada Buddhism]], John Paul II expressed his admiration for Buddhism. He said:

<blockquote>"In particular I express my highest regard for the followers of Buddhism, the majority religion in Sri Lanka, with its ... four great values of … loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity; with its ten transcendental virtues and the joys of the [[Sangha]] expressed so beautifully in the Theragathas. I ardently hope that my visit will serve to strengthen the goodwill between us, and that it will reassure everyone of the Catholic Church's desire for interreligious dialogue and cooperation in building a more just and fraternal world. To everyone I extend the hand of friendship, recalling the splendid words of the [[Dhammapada]]: 'Better than a thousand useless words is one single word that gives peace' ... ."<ref>{{cite web |url = http://old.usccb.org/comm/archives/1997/97-071a.shtml |title = Text of Bishop Brunett's Greetings |author = Brunett, Mons. Alex |publisher = [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]] Office of Media Relations |access-date = 30 October 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130416054156/http://old.usccb.org/comm/archives/1997/97-071a.shtml |archive-date = 16 April 2013 |df = dmy-all }}</ref></blockquote>

=== Islam ===
[[File:StJohnInUmmayad.jpg|thumb|John Paul II was the first Pope to enter and pray in a mosque, visiting the tomb of John the Baptist at [[Umayyad Mosque]], Damascus.]]
John Paul&nbsp;II made considerable efforts to improve relations between Catholicism and Islam.<ref name="Crossing the Threshold of Hope" />

He officially supported the project of the [[Mosque of Rome]] and participated in the inauguration in 1995.

On 14 May 1999, at a meeting with Muslim leaders in Syria, he was gifted and then promptly kissed a [[Qur'an]], an act that was controversial with some Catholics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marshall |first=Taylor |title=Infiltration: The Plot To Destroy The Church |publisher=Sophia Institute Press |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-622828-470 |pages=178}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Theologian: John Paul II wanted to show respect by kissing the Koran |url=https://english.katholisch.de/artikel/53269-theologian-john-paul-ii-wanted-to-show-respect-by-kissing-the-koran |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=english.katholisch.de |language=de}}</ref>

On 6 May 2001, he became the first Catholic pope to enter and pray in a mosque, namely the [[Umayyad Mosque]] in [[Damascus]], Syria. Respectfully removing his shoes, he entered the former [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine-era]] Christian church dedicated to [[John the Baptist]], who is also revered as a [[prophet of Islam]]. He gave a speech including the statement: "For all the times that Muslims and Christians have offended one another, we need to seek forgiveness from the Almighty and to offer each other forgiveness."<ref name="Mosque" />

In 2004, John Paul&nbsp;II hosted the "[[Papal Concert of Reconciliation]]", which brought together leaders of Islam with leaders of the Jewish community and of the Catholic Church at the Vatican for a concert by the Kraków Philharmonic Choir from Poland, the [[London Philharmonic Choir]] from the United Kingdom, the [[Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra]] from the United States, and the Ankara State Polyphonic Choir of Turkey.<ref name="WQED" /><ref name="Concert" /><ref name="Philharmonic" /><ref name="Gazette" /> The event was conceived and conducted by [[Gilbert Levine]], [[Order of St. Gregory the Great|KCSG]] and was broadcast throughout the world.<ref name="WQED" /><ref name="Concert" /><ref name="Philharmonic" /><ref name="Gazette" />

John Paul&nbsp;II oversaw the publication of the [[Catechism of the Catholic Church]], which makes a special provision for Muslims; therein, it is written, "together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."<ref name="Catechism" />

=== Jainism ===
In 1995, John Paul II held a meeting with 21 [[Jains]], organised by the [[Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue]]. He praised [[Mohandas Gandhi]] for his "unshakeable faith in God", assured the Jains that the Catholic Church will continue to engage in dialogue with their religion and spoke of the common need to aid the poor. The Jain leaders were impressed with the pope's "transparency and simplicity", and the meeting received much attention in the [[Gujarat]] state in western India, home to many Jains.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/1995/04/20/pope-impresses-jain-team-with-personal-warmth-encourages-more-dialogue&post_id=47157 |title=Pope Impresses Jain Team with Personal Warmth, Encourages More Dialogue |publisher=Ucanews.com |date=20 April 1995 |access-date=6 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213182603/http://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=%2F1995%2F04%2F20%2Fpope-impresses-jain-team-with-personal-warmth-encourages-more-dialogue&post_id=47157 |archive-date=13 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>