Pope Benedict XVI met with members of the Muslim community on Monday and assured them that the church wanted to continue "building bridges of friendship."
According to The AP, Benedict made these comments in a meeting with religious leaders who attended his installation ceremony, saying he was particularly grateful that members of the Muslim community were present.
"I express my appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians, both at the local and international level," he stressed.
He noted that the world is currently marked by conflicts but said it longs for peace. "Our efforts to come together and foster dialogue are a valuable contribution to building peace on solid foundations."
"I assure you that the church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole," he said.
A day before, in his inaugural words, the Pope mentioned Jews, calling them his "brothers and sisters" who were joined with Catholics in a "shared spiritual heritage." He also reached out to other Christians, calling several times for full communion of Christians.
