Pope Leo XIV has said conflicts in the Middle East are putting Jewish-Christian relations “to a tough test”, while stressing that decades of dialogue between the two communities remain intact.
In a statement released on Wednesday to mark 60 years of Catholic efforts towards interfaith dialogue, the Pope said: “Differing positions regarding the ongoing acts of violence have weighed heavily on the dialogue between the two sides, but have not led to its collapse.”
The statement, approved by the Pope and produced by three senior Vatican offices, went on: “The conflicts that have erupted in the Middle East in recent years have ... left their mark on Jewish-Christian dialogue.
“Many channels of communication have been strained. Nevertheless, the pillars of dialogue among believers, built over 60 years of common effort, have remained firm. Upon these foundations, it is both possible and necessary to continue building.”
The document also renewed the Catholic Church’s condemnation of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
It was issued to mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark 1965 Church document widely credited with helping transform relations between Jews and Catholics after centuries of hostility.
The new decree does not refer to any specific Middle East conflict, instead addressing the wider impact of recent violence and disagreements on interfaith relations.
Pope Leo, the Church’s first American-born pontiff, has previously criticised the Iran war, drawing criticism from President Donald Trump.
Despite the tensions, the Vatican said the foundations established through 60 years of Jewish-Christian dialogue remain strong and reaffirmed such dialogue based on long-standing relationships.
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