VATICAN CITY – In a bid to improve strained Catholic-Muslim relations, the Vatican is hosting scholars and clerics from both religions in a three-day religious conference.
The closed-door forum, which started Tuesday, includes 29 scholars and clerics from each religion and will culminate in a papal audience.
The Vatican says the first day was dedicated to “spiritual and theological fundamentals” of Islam and Christianity, and the second will focus on “human dignity and mutual respect.”
The presence of an archbishop from Iraq suggests that violence targeting Christians in Iraq and other countries could be one topic on the agenda.