Hawzah News Agency- a high-ranking delegation from the Vatican's Council for Interreligious Dialogue, along with a group of prominent Pakistani Christian religious figures, visited the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary in the city of Lahore and held talks with Hojatoleslam Sayyid Javad Naqvi.
The delegation, representing Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the world's Catholics, was headed by Monsignor Indunil J. Kodithuwakku, Secretary of the Vatican Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and accompanied by Father Markus Solo, head of the council's Islam section, during the visit to the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary.
During the meeting, topics such as expanding interreligious dialogue, strengthening mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions, articulating shared human values, consolidating social peace, promoting tolerance and moderation, and the role of religious centers and institutions in educational, formative and social spheres were discussed and exchanged.
Vatican Delegation Praises Seminary's Educational and Social Work
Members of the Vatican delegation, while familiarizing themselves with the educational and administrative structure of the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary, praised the institution's scholarly and formative activities and its efforts to strengthen convergence among followers of different religions and to raise religious and social awareness in society.
Hojatoleslam Sayyid Javad Naqvi, director of the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary and head of the Tehreek-e-Bidarat-e-Ummat-e-Mustafa of Pakistan, welcomed and thanked the delegation members for their presence, describing the Vatican Council's efforts to visit places of worship, religious centers and educational institutions belonging to followers of different religions — as well as its work to develop communications and strengthen interreligious dialogue — as valuable and worthy of appreciation. Expressing hope for Pope Leo XIV's visit to Pakistan, he declared his readiness to warmly welcome and host him, telling the delegation members: "Not only the doors of the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary, but the doors of our hearts are always open to you. Your presence is a source of joy and pride for us, and we will always welcome you with sincerity and devotion."
Tour of Educational, Service and Medical Facilities
Later in the visit, delegation members toured various educational, formative and service sections of the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary, including the Bayt al-Atiq Mosque, the special educational center for women "Jamia Umm al-Kitab," and the "Mafazah al-Hayat" hospital.
During the tour, delegation members, while familiarizing themselves with the educational and administrative structure, the scholarly and formative activities, and the medical facilities and welfare and public-benefit services of these centers, expressed appreciation for the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary's initiatives and services in various educational, cultural and social fields.
Interfaith Dialogue and the Role of Religious Institutions
The visit underscores the growing importance of interreligious dialogue in fostering peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding, particularly in Pakistan, where religious minorities and interfaith harmony remain pressing issues. The Vatican's engagement with prominent Islamic institutions such as the Urwat al-Wuthqa Seminary reflects a broader effort by the Holy See to build bridges with the Muslim world and promote shared values of peace, tolerance and social cohesion. Observers note that such encounters carry particular significance in a region where sectarian and religious tensions have at times threatened social stability, and that the active role of religious institutions in education, welfare and healthcare — as exemplified by the seminary's women's educational center and hospital — can serve as a model for community service and interfaith cooperation. The delegation's visit and the Pakistani cleric's warm reception signal a shared commitment to dialogue over confrontation and to strengthening the bonds of common humanity.
Your Comment