John Paul II Hosts First World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi

On 27 October 1986, Pope John Paul II hosted the first World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy, inviting leaders of Christian churches and world religions to pray for peace. Vatican News describes it as the first time in history representatives of all world religions were invited by a Pope to pray together for peace. They prayed, fasted and walked together. The Pope said their prayers could not be reduced to a 'common denominator' and that 'peace bears the name of Jesus Christ'. The gathering inspired the 'Spirit of Assisi' meetings, marking 40 years in October 2026. Image: Basilica of St Francis, Assisi (present day), High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.