On May 6, 2025, the Peace Center Lahore and Interfaith Council for Peace and Harmony held an interfaith memorial service to honor Pope Francis's legacy.
The event, organized by Dominican Father James Channan, director of the Peace Center, and Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, chairman of Interfaith Council for Peace and Harmony took place at 125-B Pak Arab Housing Society, Lahore, Pakistan.
Pope Francis dedicated much of his papacy (2013–2025) to interfaith harmony and global peace, emphasizing unity, compassion, and the dignity of every human regardless of religion, ethnicity, or nationality.
His efforts resonated across nations and faiths, earning him widespread respect as a moral leader and advocate for global fraternity.
The memorial brought together religious leaders and community members from diverse faiths, including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs.
More than 70 Interfaith leaders gathered to pay tribute to Pope Francis’s enduring commitment to interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and compassion for marginalized communities.
In this interfaith memorial service, several prominent Muslim, Christian, and Sikh leaders participated including; Fr Pascal Palus OP, Bishop Nadeem Kamran, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Rev Amjad Niamat, Qazi Abdul Ghafar Qadri, Fr Akhtar Naveed OP, Sardar Sikandar Singh, Fr Adil Ambrose OP, Fr John Joseph OFM Cap, Pastor Samuel Ahsan, Rev Dr. Majid Abel, Rev Emmanuel Khokhar, Prof. Mehmood Ghaznavi, Samuel Payara, Sr Genevieve Ram Lal, Dr. Badar Munir, Allama Kazim Raza Naqvi, Dr, Saleem Massey, Asif Joseph, Iqbal Sani, Dr Abdul Ghaffar Randhawa, Chaudhry Zubair Ahmed Farooq, Allama Muhammad Abdul Rasheed Turabi, Mufti Ashiq Hussain, Pastor Nasir, Pastor Asif Khokar, David Sandhu, Allama Muhammad Arshad, Dr Zubair Ahmed, and several others.
The event began with prayers and reflection on Pope Francis’ life.
Asher Nazir, executive secretary of the Peace Center Lahore, welcomed religious leaders to offer interfaith prayers.
Fr. Akhtar Naveed OP led the Christian prayer from the Holy Bible, Mufti Muhammad Shafique for the Muslim prayer from the Holy Quran, and Sardar Sikandar Singh for the Sikh prayer from Guru Granth Sahib. Each leader offered heartfelt prayers from their respective traditions, creating a powerful moment of unity, reflection, and reverence that set the tone for the service.
The diversity of voices echoed how Pope Francis championed dialogue, fraternity, and peace among religions.
Following the interfaith prayers, Fr. Channan shared brief but moving words about the life and legacy of Pope Francis, highlighting his unwavering commitment to interreligious harmony, care for the poor, and global peace.
Channan reflected on Francis’ role as a global moral voice and bridge-builder, saying: “Pope Francis was not only a spiritual leader for Catholics, but a true advocate of interfaith dialogue and compassion. He taught us how to listen to one another, to serve humanity, and to love beyond boundaries.”
The event continued with mutual respect and unity, celebrating Pope Francis’ enduring message of hope and reconciliation.
Francis died on April 21 in the Vatican and was buried on April 26, 2025. He was 88.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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