Posted on 12/26/2006 4:30:30 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Muslims ask to worship at Cordoba More than a million of Spain's 44 million inhabitants are Muslims [GALLO/GETTY]
Spanish Muslims have written to the Vatican to demand the right to worship at Cordoba Cathedral.
Spain's Islamic Board wrote to Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, calling on him to grant them permission to worship in the cathedral, parts of which were built as a mosque during Spain's period of Islamic rule.
The group said in their letter: "What we wanted was not to take over that holy place, but to create in it, together with you and other faiths, an ecumenical space unique in the world which would have been of great significance in bringing peace to humanity."
They said that senior Spanish Catholic clergy had earlier rejected requests for Muslims to be allowed to prostrate themselves inside the Cathedral.
Mansur Escudero, the board's secretary general, said security guards often stop Muslim worshipers from praying at the old mosque.
He said: "There are reactionary elements within the Catholic Church, and when they hear about the construction of a mosque, or Muslim teachings in state schools, or about veils, they see it as a sign we are growing and they oppose it."
Mansur said Muslims came from around the world to see Cordoba's Cathedral, which is still commonly known as the Cathedral-Mosque.
(Excerpt) Read more at english.aljazeera.net ...
Since their initial "request" was rejected, it's likely this second is a demand. Either way, the answer should be NO.
NO!
"Greater Caliphate" alert!
I'm not sure what your Bush-hating agenda has to do with anything on this thread.
Theb headline says muslims ask, but the article says they have written a letter demanding.
Wonder which it really is? sarc/
lol
What's Latin for "go p*** up a rope"?
I hope Benedict stands strong.
This type of "reasonable" request if granted or not is going to start becoming the norm, time to set a precident......and tell them to go Pound Sand.
I'll guarantee it would pick up a totally different set of attitudes ~ probably equally confusing.
Let’s hope that all remain strong in rejecting this “request”.
When the fear of men (and what they might do) is greater than the fear of GOD, the end is truly near!
Hagia Sophia
AKA Aya Sofia, aka Emperor Constantine's monument to Greek Orthodoxy/Catholocism, no?
Having seen Cordoba, the answer should be no, no and NO.
Cordoba was the Islamic capital for a long time. This mosque is terribly important to control.
Sure! When can I, an infidel, even visit Mecca or Medina? I hope Pope Benedict answers them forcefully and in the negative.
I wonder if this group would be willing to support such an ecumenical space in the church on Cyprus that had been converted to a Mosque after Turkey invaded in 1973.
I won’t hold my breath.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1758712/posts
About where the Basilica and Tomb of St. John used to be.......
No Western nation should strive to accomodate these murderous savages!!
Religious preference is not the same as ethnicity. Religious preference is a matter of choice whereas ethnicity is not.
Muslims already have the right to worship at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the cathedral.
Credits to the Latin teaching Mrs. Elk.
Rumor has it that, if necessary, Fra Tomas, the scourge of fleeing Muslims of yesteryear, will be sent back to finish the job of, ummm, inquiry leading to judgment without fear and appropriate punishment for the impudent who would defile Cordoba Cathedral. There may be a brief delay while our engineering division restores the instruments of correction so long dormant and neglected. Whatever orthodox Catholic high clerics who may remain in Spain will be asked to name an absolute monarch to replace the current constitutional and spineless socialist royal nuisance.
cc: First paragraph (Latin) to His Holiness Benedict XVI for use in his reply to the Muslims of Cordoba or whomever they are.
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