Sikh delegation meets Pope Leo XIV

The chairman of a Sikh charitable organisation has spoken of the importance of dialogue between people of different faiths, following a meeting with the new Pope.

Bhai Sahib, Prof Mohinder Singh, of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) in Birmingham, was among a Sikh delegation who attended an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday.

"I was overjoyed, and of course I congratulated him on his inauguration," said Prof Mohinder Singh.

"I felt very happy."

Those present at the event, representing a a range of non-Catholic Churches and other religions, had attended the Pope's inauguration Mass the previous day.

Among the guests were Prince Edward, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Prof Mohinder Singh described it as "a deeply spiritual moment".

It was, he said, "a sacred invitation to renew our shared commitment to peace, dialogue, and reconciliation".

Following the Mass, Prof Singh presented the inter-faith Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and offered prayers for peace in his country.

He also asked the new Pope for "his continued support and blessing for the Peace Charter", a document which was first presented to Pope Francis in 2018.

It was the third audience with a Pope for Prof Singh, who was the first Sikh in history to receive the pontifical order of knighthood for his service to interfaith relations.

He said he believed the new Pope would continue the example set by his predecessor, Pope Francis, in being a symbol of hope and peace.

In his address to the delegates, Pope Leo praised the work made by his predecessor towards interreligious dialogue and spoke of a "common path", involving everyone "in a spirit of human fraternity".

Prof Mohinder Singh said this was "very, very important".

"As per our own scripture, our Sikh scripture, all humans are sparks of the divine, humanity being one global family," he said. "We need to have interfaith cooperation and collaboration – that is almost essential."

He added that he thought Pope Leo would continue, as Pope Francis had done, to represent sincerity and simplicity.

"But he will also work on peace-building," he said. "That, I feel, is important for him.

"His Holiness walks with humility, courage and moral clarity, following the luminous path of Pope Francis," added Prof Singh.

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