Holy See Flags Online Hate and Religious Intolerance as Forms of Racism

VATICAN CITY, October 10, 2026 — The Holy See has warned that online hatred, religious intolerance and discrimination against migrants and refugees threaten human dignity and undermine the unity of the human family. Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, raised these concerns during the Third Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on October 8, calling for an end to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Human Dignity at the Heart of Equality

Archbishop El-Kassis reaffirmed the Church’s teaching that every human being possesses equal and inviolable dignity. He condemned racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, describing them as affronts to the unity of the human family.

He also cautioned against “materialist and nationalist ideologies” that obstruct harmony among people and prevent the development of a genuine international community.

Despite apparent progress, racism continues to persist in different forms, sustained by “the mistaken belief that one person, reduced to a single characteristic, is superior to another.”

The archbishop highlighted the discrimination faced by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Rather than finding safety and opportunities for a better life, they frequently encounter “the coldness of indifference or the stigma of discrimination,” as Pope Leo XIV had pointed out during the Mass celebrated for them during the previous Jubilee Year.

Online Hatred and Religious Intolerance

Archbishop El-Kassis also drew attention to the growing challenges posed by digital environments, where exclusion and prejudice can intensify hatred and polarisation. He stressed that technology and data must serve humanity and the common good.

“In the digital age,” Archbishop El-Kassis observed, “social justice requires that data and technologies be used to promote human dignity and the common good.”

Addressing religious intolerance, he called for the rejection of hostility directed against people because of their religious identity or beliefs.

“Whether it takes the form of antisemitism, Christianophobia, Islamophobia or other forms of hostility rooted in anti-religious prejudice,” it must be “firmly rejected,” he stated.

Call for Mutual Respect

Concluding his address, Archbishop El-Kassis urged the international community to strengthen its commitment to respecting the dignity of every person and fostering openness towards others.

He called for renewed efforts “to cultivate and promote respect for the inalienable dignity of every human person and to foster a culture of encounter and openness to others, grounded in mutual respect.”

Courtesy: Vatiacan News