Source: Press Reports
ASSISI, ITALY, January 25, 2002: Pope John Paul II welcomed representatives of 12 religions to a vegetarian lunch in the Apostolic Palace today, calling them “friends” united in a “commitment to the cause of peace.” The Roman Catholic pontiff offered lunch to the more than 200 men and women from throughout the world who had joined him Thursday on a pilgrimage to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. Only five Hindus were included in the gathering, even though one in six people today is a Hindu. There were 100 Christians, 11 Jews, 31 Muslims, 32 Buddhists and ten Sikhs. So as not to offend against the dietary laws of any religion, the Vatican served the religious leaders a vegetarian meal with no alcohol and no cream for the dessert, but the menu was mainly Italian. Each of the religions was sent to separate places in Assisi for a prayer session. The Catholics are forbidden from holding common worship with other religions in a way which might imply any equality of faiths.