Pope Francis joins shamans, monks and evangelicals to highlight Mongolia’s faith diversity, harmony

News Snapshot:

With China’s crackdown on religious minorities in the background, Pope Francis joined Mongolian shamans, Buddhist monks, and a Russian Orthodox priest on Sunday to highlight the role religions can play in forging world peace as he presided over an interfaith meeting highlighting Mongolia’s tradition of religious tolerance. Francis listened closely as a dozen spiritual leaders, including Jews, Muslims, Bahais, Hindus, Shintos, and evangelical Christians, discussed their beliefs and their relationship with Heaven. Several others thought the traditional Mongolian ger, or round-shaped yurt, was a powerful emblem of heavenly harmony – a pleasant sanctuary of family togetherness, open to the skies,...