Pope: Christians and Muslims must work together to ‘revive humanity’

Vatican, May 11, 2026: Pope Leo, during a meeting with participants of an interfaith colloquium, called on Christians and Muslims to “revive humanity where it has grown cold” and “transform indifference into solidarity”.

The Pope met on Monday morning with members of Jordan’s Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies and the Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Members of the Royal Institute, established under the patronage of Jordan’s Prince Hasan bin Talal, were in Rome to take part in a colloquium titled “Human Compassion and Empathy in Modern Times”.

Compassion in Christianity and Islam

In his address, Pope Leo described compassion and empathy as “essential attitudes” in both Christianity and Islam.

Referring to the Muslim tradition, the Pope noted that compassion (ra’fa) is considered a gift placed by God in the hearts of believers. He added that the inclusion of al-Ra’uf (“The ever-compassionate”) among the ninety-nine names of God serves as a reminder that “compassion always has its origin in God himself.”

Speaking about the Christian tradition, Pope Leo said divine compassion “becomes visible and tangible” in the person of Jesus. Through the Incarnation, he said, God “goes beyond seeing and hearing” human suffering and instead experiences it Himself, becoming “the living embodiment of compassion”.

Love for the poor

Pope Leo stressed that compassion and empathy are “not something additional or optional” for Christians and Muslims, adding that these values also carry “social implications” for followers of both faiths.

From the Christian perspective, he said, “love for the poor” and sharing in their suffering are essential. In this context, he also praised the Kingdom of Jordan for its “generous efforts” in welcoming refugees.

Technology and indifference

In the concluding part of his address, Pope Leo reflected on how technology affects compassion and empathy in modern society.

Although people today are “more connected than ever before”, the Pope warned that the “constant flow of images and videos of the hardships of others can dull our hearts rather than stir them”.

Quoting an early homily of Pope Francis, Pope Leo said society has “become used to the suffering of others”, often thinking: “it does not affect me, it does not interest me, it is none of my business”.

In this context, Pope Leo said Christians and Muslims are called to draw from the “richness” of their respective traditions and undertake a “common mission”: “to revive humanity where it has grown cold, to give voice to those who suffer and to transform indifference into solidarity”.

Courtesy: Vatican News