Pope John Paul II is shown here kissing the Quran, a book he had immense respect for. Years before Pope Francis started bridging the gap between Muslims and Christians, John Paul II referred to Islam as one of the great monotheistic religions. He turned often to the Declaration Nostra Aetate in speaking on Muslims: "The Church also has a high regard for the Muslims, who worship one God, living and subsistent, merciful and omnipotent, the Creator of heaven and earth. As a result of their monotheism, believers in Allah are particularly close to us... Some of the most beautiful names in the human language are given to the God of the Quran... The religiosity of Muslims deserves respect. It is impossible not to admire, for example, their fidelity to prayer