Pope Leo XIV has joined world church leaders in condemning a lethal attack on the Jewish community in Sydney, Australia, gathered for Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights.

"Today I wish to entrust to the Lord the victims of the terrorist attack carried out yesterday in Sydney against the Jewish community," the Pope said Dec. 15, referring to a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that left at least 15 people dead and some 40 others injured.

The Pope expressed his spiritual closeness to those affected by the violence, which occurred as more than 1,000 people had gathered to mark the start of Hanukkah -- one of the most important celebrations in the Jewish calendar.

The media reported that two armed assailants, believed to be a father and son, opened fire on the crowd, sparking panic and a mass flight toward the beach and nearby businesses.

One attacker was killed during the police response, while the second remains in critical condition. Authorities are investigating possible links between the attackers and a jihadist terrorist organization.

Among the victims were a child and a Holocaust survivor.

In Geneva, the World Council of Churches, representing Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant traditions, "unreservedly denounced the horrific and appalling terrorist attack" that took place.

Rev. Jerry Pillay, who heads the WCC, released a statement saying, "The attack, which targeted innocent people as they participated in a peaceful religious observance....is a profoundly troubling act of violence evidently driven by antisemitic motives, and undermining fundamental principles of human dignity, religious freedom, and social cohesion.

"It is particularly distressing and unacceptable that this incident occurred at the very beginning of Hanukkah, a festival that symbolizes light, faith, and the resilience of a community in the face of adversity."

Pillay said the fact that the attack took place at a moment when people had gathered to honour a tradition deeply rooted in hope and spiritual endurance "renders this act even more egregious."

The Church of Scotland moderator, Rev. Rosemary Frew, issued a statement saying, "The massacre of innocent people gathered at Bondi Beach to celebrate the first day of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is the most appalling atrocity, one felt worldwide.

"This is a dark time for Australia and the Jewish community."

Catholic leaders in Australia responded with prayer and a strong condemnation of antisemitism. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney called for prayer.

With a population of around 5.6 million people according to Wikipedia, in 2021, Christianity was the largest religious affiliation at 46 percent in Sydney

The largest denominations of Christians were Catholics at 23.1 per cent and Anglicans at 9.2 per cent. Some 30.3 percent of Sydney residents identified as having no religion.

The most common non-Christian religious affiliations were Islam (6.3 percent), Hinduism (4.8 percent), Buddhism (3.8 percent), Sikhism (0.7 percent), and Judaism (0.7 percent).