Once a month, representatives of the main religions in Oporto meet at São Nicolau Parish Centre in the heart of the city, to talk about their different faiths. The Catholic Church issued the invitation for this inter-religious dialogue and since its first meeting, in March 2023, it has been joined by other religious groups.
Those who most frequently attend are participants of the Jewish Community of Oporto, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Oporto, the Bahai Centre of Gaia and the Hare Krishna Community, in addition to the hosts themselves.
Throughout the year, the group agreed to discuss central aspects of their religions to understand the similarities between their creeds, encouraging respect for the identity of each faith.
Quite often, participants found points of convergence between religions such as the case of Hillel’s Golden Rule, well-known to the Jews: "When someone challenged Hillel to teach the entire Torah while his listener stood on one foot, he famously replied, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the entire Torah, and the rest is commentary. Now go and study.” – which in the Catholic faith is similar to: "Love your neighbour as yourself".
After almost twelve months of coexistence which have enabled strong ties to be forged, the group is now considering ways of expanding the initiative.
