Demonstrators hold a Palestinian flag as they protest against Israeli air strikes in Gaza in front of Milan cathedral.
Posted on 01/09/2009 10:07:34 AM PST by NYer
Leaders of Milan's Muslims are to meet the city's Roman Catholic archbishop to apologise for an impromptu prayer service they held in front of the cathedral, a statement from the archbishopric said.
Images of hundreds of Muslims bowing to Mecca in front of one of the pre-eminent symbols of Christianity in Italy prompted outrage among some, particularly rightwing, Italians. Defence minister Ignazio La Russa proposed that prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition should "reply" with a mass on Sunday on the same spot.
The status of other religions is a particularly sensitive issue in Italy where, until recently, almost the entire population was made up of baptised Catholics. Crucifixes are ubiquitous in schools, hospitals, law courts and police stations, and attempts to have them removed in the name of religious equality have been consistently rejected by the courts.
The latest controversy began with a demonstration on Saturday against the Israeli offensive in Gaza. After departing from the agreed route, protesters arrived, at their hour of prayer, in front of one of Europe's most imposing Gothic cathedrals.
Despite a campaign by the conservative press for a reponse, Milan's archbishop, Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, viewed as a liberal, remained silent until Wednesday's statement, which acknowledged that some regarded the prayers as "an affront".
The statement added that the head of one of the city's main Islamic cultural centres had asked for a meeting with the archbishop. The purpose of the meeting, the archbishopric said, was to clarify what happened last Saturday and convey apologies.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Catholic Ping
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That’s not kneeling. It’s groveling.
This is pretty arrogant. I am adding a link to a quick overview of the Crusaders and their mission @1067 AD. We never learn from history.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/crusades.htm
Kill em all. Go Israel
F that, they should hold a mass in front of the animal's mosque. Grow a pair.
What a beautiful cathedral!
Until we realize we are dealing with animals who want nothing less then our eventual destruction, every day that goes by is a small victory for them. Us v Them. There is no gray.
Pelt them with bacon bits.
You know, before all this ca-ca hit the fan, before 9/11/01, I would have found Muslims praying in front of a Cathedral a thing of beauty and profound spirituality, as I would have found a Christian praying on the Temple Mount a thing of blissful interaction with God.
These days, as a Christian, I feel lucky to have a church in the U.S. where I can kneel in submission to my God.
Somehow, I have a hard time buying this was a sincere apology. This apology reminds me of someone who pushes a joke or prank to the point of enraging another person, and then saying “I was only joking”.
Lie to the kufir.
20 years from now, the Islamists will use that photo as proof that the cathedral was originally a Muslim place of worship, and use it as justification to go on a jihad, against the evil Christians that “stole” it from them.
This was not impromptu! It was well-planned. These muslims must thing everybody is stupid and gullible! Someone remembered to bring a Palestinian flag — a large one! And all those grubby muslims at exactly the right place and at exactly the right time???
How credulous do they think people are???
And their “apology” isn’t going to be an apology at all. Not a real one: it’s fake. They aren’t absolutely genuinely sorry remorseful and repentant. Far from it! They got away with being deeply disrespectful without getting a jolly good hiding, like they’d give if anyone tried doing that same stunt in front of one of their devil-worshipping mosques.
Their imam ought to be flogged when he shows up to give the fake “Apology”. I don’t believe it. Not for one moment.
Yeah, I bet the are real sorry. They have stated that their goal is to take over Rome, so I don’t buy the fake apology. Of course it would be a bit tough for Christians to demonstrate in Mecca, for example.
“Defence minister Ignazio La Russa proposed that prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition should “reply” with a mass on Sunday on the same spot.”
A better idea would be to have thousands of Italian Catholics have Mass outside the biggest available mosque. What’s fair for the goose....
twenty years from now, one group or the other will be irrelevant. I know who my money’s on.
Christian churches face East, which is not necessarily to Jerusalem, whereas the Muslims pray to Mecca, which for Milan is southeast, as you can see the different direction in the picture.
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