Leo XIV appoints an interfaith champion, Monsignor Alfonso Raimo, 67, as Bishop of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Italy (September 15). Raimo has been auxiliary bishop of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno since April 2024 and a honoaray member of Rotary Club since 2025. Founder of an interreligious organization In 2022, the School of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue was formally constituted, with Raimo as its president. In an October 2023 interview, Raimo explicitly connected the origins of his interreligious School with John Paul II's Assisi gathering. He explained that people of different religions walk together because “all religions can offer a contribution” to attaining peace. He considers dialogue “not only as a desirable possibility but as a common obligation and the only viable path.” Raimo described peace as a “harmony of differences” and called for accepting “diversity as an opportunity for personal growth and social development.” Christ went the "path of dialogue" In the same interview …

Leo XIV appoints an interfaith champion, Monsignor Alfonso Raimo, 67, as Bishop of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Italy (September 15).

Raimo has been auxiliary bishop of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno since April 2024 and a honoaray member of Rotary Club since 2025.

Founder of an interreligious organization

In 2022, the School of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue was formally constituted, with Raimo as its president.

In an October 2023 interview, Raimo explicitly connected the origins of his interreligious School with John Paul II's Assisi gathering. He explained that people of different religions walk together because “all religions can offer a contribution” to attaining peace.

He considers dialogue “not only as a desirable possibility but as a common obligation and the only viable path.”

Raimo described peace as a “harmony of differences” and called for accepting “diversity as an opportunity for personal growth and social development.”

Christ went the "path of dialogue"

In the same interview, Raimo said: “For us Christians, the model of the teacher-witness is Jesus, who, in carrying out his mission, preferring the path of dialogue, awakened faith and rekindled hope in many who were considered distant.”

Gospel alongside Quran

In recent years, Raimo has participated in a series of interreligious initiatives involving Muslims, Sikhs, Bahá'ís, Buddhists and members of other Christian communities.

In January 2022, Raimo conducted an interreligious celebration to “invoke God” for the end of Covid-19 and for peace in Ukraine.

In September 2024, Raimo held in Salerno a Prayer for Peace. The programme announced a symbolic area displaying together the Gospel, the Quran and the Menorah, alongside an olive branch and peace rainbow flag.

In March 2025, an interreligious procession was led by Archbishop Andrea Bellandi and Auxiliary Bishop Alfonso Raimo, together with representatives of the Muslim, Bahá'í, Pentecostal, Waldensian-Methodist, Orthodox and Soka Gakkai Buddhist communities. The programme culminated in a silent prayer in the Co-Cathedral of Campagna.

Honorary member of Rotary

On July 4, 2025, Bishop Raimo was made an honorary member of Rotary Club Battipaglia.

He has also repeatedly appeared at initiatives involving service organizations including Lions, Rotary, Inner Wheel and FIDAPA.

In August 2021, for example, Raimo attended a Lions-sponsored tree-planting ceremony in Eboli. Photographs from the event show him wearing a stole and holding a book beside the newly planted tree.

Rector of a church offering the Latin Mass

In September 2025, Raimo became the rector of the church San Giorgio in Salerno, where the traditional Mass is celebrated.

This Mass was already established there before he became rector and is celebrated by the Institute of Christ the King. Actually the Mass community in Salerno goes back for over a decade.

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