Rami Elhanan and Mazen Faraj are members of the Parents Circle-Families Forum, a grassroots group that unites bereaved Israelis and Palestinians who have lost immediate family members to the Middle East conflict. Together they promote a message of dialogue, reconciliation, and peace.

Read excerpts from THOMAS MERTON: A LIFE IN LETTERS: The Essential Collection edited by Willam H. Shannon and Christian M. Bochen

"I don't think any of us are under any illusions that we're going to solve the peace problem, but we also realize that you can't have peace without religious leaders," says former US ambassador Tony Hall.

Especially since 9/11, major Christian and Muslim scholars and religious officials have been working together to find ways believers in each religion can live side by side in peace.

Benedict said that in Francis's hometown, the "city of peace," he felt a duty to make a heartfelt appeal for peace.