Pope Leo XIV to join 40th anniversary Assisi interreligious gathering

Pope Leo XIV will travel to Assisi on 27 October for the 40th anniversary of the interreligious prayer gathering begun by John Paul II, with 384 representatives from 53 countries. The Community of Sant'Egidio's president said the meeting promotes the "spiritual unification" of the world and described religions as useful tools for institutions such as the UN and EU, while organisers insist the prayers will be separate to avoid syncretism. This is a concrete example of religion being enlisted to support multilateral political order, a pattern Revelation 17 warns about, though the event is not itself a fulfilment.