Replies

Huge new Mosque in Rome across the river from the Vatican --->>

NICHOLSON: This experience could be indispensable in coming years as the Catholic Church competes with the rise of Islam. The faithful who worship in this giant mosque in Rome, almost on the doorstep of the Vatican are a powerful reminder of the competition the Catholic Church faces for followers in both the developed and developing world.

JOHN ALLEN: So that mosque in Rome tends to be a tremendous symbol if you like of what sticks in the craw of a lot of Christians thinking about the relationship with Islam.

NICHOLSON: Mario Scialoja is a rare Italian. He converted from Catholicism to Islam, a former Italian Ambassador to the United Nations, he’s now the director of Italy’s World Muslim League.

MARIO SCIALOJA: I don’t expect there to be happy to see such a fast growth of the Muslim faith in Italy, but I mean they didn’t show any, any resentment for that.

NICHOLSON: Islam is making inroads into traditional Christian areas with a zeal and energy that cannot be ignored. Vatican watcher journalist John Allen has no doubt the Catholic Church is afraid.

JOHN ALLEN: Tremendously afraid. I think the reality is that if you look at the world situation, Islam has about 1.1 billion members, so does Roman Catholicism. Islam is expanding rapidly in a lot of boarder zones where Christianity has traditionally found itself.

NICHOLSON: Arinze is prepared to tackle the contest head on. His approach to interfaith dialogue is straightforward. The aim of the game is more Catholics

Huge new Mosque in Rome across the river from the Vatican

It is the first and the only Mosque in Rome, located at the foot of the hill. It was erected in 1984-93, and designed by Paolo Portoghesi, Vittorio Gigliotti and Sami Monsawi. The mosque, that can hold up to 3000 people and is the largest in Europe, was financed by some 24 Arab countries. There is also a cultural center and library here.

From what I understand, they petitioned the City of Rome to erect a crescent moon over the Mosque that rises higher than the cross over the Vatican. The request was granted. Also, the previous Imam was a radical extremist who called for a jihad.

Do you have a link to the John Allen article?

I am so sick of Interreligious Dialogue. Its long since time for a new Crusade.

If we are going to be accused of being crusaders for pumping mideast oil and not carpet bombing Israel or not funnelling foreign aid to Hammas, we might as well live up to the accusation and actually be Crusaders.

Vatican watcher journalist John Allen has no doubt the Catholic Church is afraid

Hey, John Allen, we've been around for over 2000 years. We're a genuine religion, not a cult built around a child molesting psychopath who encouraged war, not peace.

We are NOT afraid of this cult called "Islam."