The celebration of Nostra Aetate marks a call for interreligious unity

On the morning of Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Pope Leo XIV presided over the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, dedicating his catechesis to the 60th anniversary of the conciliar declaration  Nostra Aetate, the historic document of the Second Vatican Council that transformed the Church’s relations with non-Christian religions. In his address, the Pontiff emphasized three central themes of his message: interreligious dialogue, friendship with the Jewish people, and the firm rejection of antisemitism.

A symbolic and profound gesture

The audience was more than a pastoral address: it commemorated six decades since the adoption of Nostra Aetate, a document that reaffirms the Church’s openness to other religions and condemns all forms of antisemitism. The Pope affirmed that “the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and combats it, on the very basis of the Gospel,” while acknowledging the challenges that have accompanied interreligious dialogue over the years.

The three pillars of the papal message

1. Rejection of antisemitism

Leo XIV recalled that the roots of Christianity are in Judaism, and that this entails a moral commitment against any form of persecution or discrimination against Jews.

2. Interreligious dialogue as a way of life

The Pope insisted that dialogue is not only a practical tool, but “a way of life” that transforms those who participate in it. He emphasized that cooperation between religions can be expressed in concrete actions: promoting justice, caring for creation, and educating in values ​​of peace.

3. Friendship between Christians and Jews

The Pope emphasized that Chapter 4 of Nostra Aetate is the core of the document, focusing on the relationship with the Jewish people. This friendship, he affirmed, should not be disrupted by political circumstances or injustices perpetrated by others.

Meaning for the Church and the world

The audience reflects the continuity of Catholic teaching on Jewish-Christian dialogue and relations, transforming this dialogue from an option to a structural responsibility of the Church. It also underscores that contemporary challenges, from political tensions to cultural and technological issues, require active interreligious collaboration, going beyond mere coexistence.

Today’s audience is not only a commemoration of Nostra Aetate, but also a reminder that dialogue, friendship, and the rejection of antisemitism remain urgent tasks. Faced with a polarized world, Pope Leo XIV proposes “walking together in hope,” a path that seeks to transform ideas and lives, reaffirming the Church’s mission in a pluralistic and diverse context.