Representatives from Albania’s various religious communities met Pope Francis in Rome this week, in the first of such a visit to the leader of the Catholic Church.
Albania’s Interreligious Cooperation Centre made the trip to the Vatican as a demonstration of the country’s religious diversity and tolerance.
Those in attendance included leaders from Elbasan and Albania’s Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and Bektashi community, while the leader of the Jewish community was not present.
Pope Francis praised the organisation for its promotion of religious harmony. A small gift was presented to the Pope by the chairman of the organisation, Arben Ramkaj. He gave him a Xhamadan, a symbol of the city of Elbasan. He was also given a small emblem representing the ICC.
