VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis will deliver an address today at an interfaith conference hosted by the Sivagiri Monastery at the Vatican. The Pope's speech is scheduled for 1 pm IST. Cardinal Lazaro U Hyung Sik, the president of the Office for Priests, will inaugurate the conference, which is expected to be attended by religious leaders and representatives from over 15 countries. The World Parliament of Religions, a key event, will take place on December 1.
The conference will feature notable speakers including Karnataka Speaker U.T. Khader, Cardinal-designate Mar George Jacob Kuvakat, Chandi Oommen MLA, and K. Murali, Chairman of the Sivagiri Pilgrimage. Raghunathan Nair, Director of the Sanjeevani Wellness Institute, Swami Veereshwarananda, and other spiritual leaders will also participate.
Representatives from various religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and others, are attending the event to promote religious harmony. The evening before the conference, a special love feast was organized with an emphasis on religious unity. Participants from countries such as Italy, Bahrain, Indonesia, Ireland, the UAE, England, and the USA joined the gathering to celebrate the shared message of peace.
The conference will commence with an Italian translation and the singing of the Devadasakam prayer composed by Gurudeva. Swami Satchidananda, President of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, will deliver a lecture on 'Sree Narayana Philosophy and World Peace.' Other lectures will explore topics like Guru's monotheism, religious harmony, and the concept that "Whatever be the religion, it is enough, if man becomes virtuous." Discussions will center on world peace and the teachings of Sree Narayana Gurudeva.
The event will feature a dialogue on religious syncretism and how different faiths can contribute to global peace. The moderator of the discussions will be Fr. Mithin J Francis, Chairman of the Georgian University Interface Dialogue.