VATICAN
Pope Francis, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew gathered in The Vatican on Sunday to pray together for peace in the Middle East.
During the event held in The Vatican, Jewish and Christian men of religion read out excepts from both the Bible and the Talmud, while a Muslim imam read verses from holy Quran in the presence of Pope Francis and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The ceremony was conducted in four languages - Hebrew, Italian, English and Arabic.
In addition, during the Arabic part of the ceremony, several sections of the Quran were read.
"This meeting of prayer for peace in the Holy Land, in the Middle East and in the entire world is accompanied by the prayers of countless people of different cultures, nations, languages and religions, said the head of Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis. They have prayed for this meeting and even now they are united with us in the same supplication."
Pope Francis had invited both Peres and Abbas when he visited the region last month.
Palestinian-Israeli peace talks hit another bump in the road in April after Israel refused to release Palestinian prisoners as pledged.
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