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Posted on 04/16/2026 6:52:41 PM PDT by ebb tide
An imam delivered a presentation of the Islamic faith inside a Catholic parish church in Brindisi, Italy, with the participation of the local bishop.
On April 15, the parish of San Lorenzo in Brindisi, southern Italy, hosted an event titled “Do You Know Islam? Let us explore together the pillars, the meaning of life, and the celebrations of the Islamic faith,” in which Imam Khaled Bouchelaghem of the local Islamic community spoke from within the parish premises, with the presence of Archbishop Giovanni Intini of the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, who delivered the concluding remarks. The initiative has been actively promoted by the diocesan office for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue with the stated aim of fostering mutual understanding.
Italian journalist Andrea Zambrano reported this news in the outlet La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana.
READ: Pope Leo XIV hails ‘communion between Christians and Muslims’ during African visit
According to the diocesan communication, the initiative is guided by the principle: “If you truly know the other, you truly love them.” The title itself, framed as a question, indicates that the meeting is intended to introduce or deepen knowledge of Islamic beliefs among participants. Zambrano described the event as an “Islamic catechism.”
The stated objective of the event aligns with broader interreligious dialogue efforts, emphasizing knowledge as a basis for peaceful coexistence. The slogan associated with the initiative – attributed to Marco Impagliazzo of the Community of Sant’Egidio – has been used in similar contexts to promote engagement between different religious traditions.
The imam Bouchelaghem had previously taken part in other initiatives involving Catholic settings in Brindisi. Indeed, this event follows a previous initiative held in 2025 in another parish in Brindisi, San Carlo, where members of the local Muslim community organized an iftar meal marking the end of Ramadan. That gathering, also open to both Muslims and non-Muslims, took place within church premises and was presented as an occasion of encounter and hospitality.
Zambrano also points out that, ironically, the event was hosted in a parish dedicated to St. Lawrence of Brindisi (not to be confused with the early Christian martyr of the same name), a Capuchin friar, canonized in 1881 and proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. Historical records indicate that in 1601 he served as a chaplain to Catholic forces during military campaigns in Central Europe, offering spiritual assistance to troops engaged in conflict with the Ottoman Muslim army.
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Islam is the most pernicious of Satan’s false religions.
Ping
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luke 23:24
In Matthew 10:16 Jesus told his disciples to be as wise as serpents, and as gentle as doves. One part of that is as important as the other.
Too many well-meaning Christians forget the first part of that command. And so they will be taken advantage of. Or worse, much worse.
Moslem bishop follows First Moslem Pope
Maybe on that day he was "inducting" some young "acolytes". Nudge nudge.
I’m a Catholic. I’m an American. So is Leo.
I’d like to wring his neck.
Blasphemous! I’m not Catholic, and I don’t want to argue, but how devout Catholics remain Catholic is beyond me. Over the centuries, your church has been led by some really corrupt characters, and yet, instead of just following the Bible, you insist on staying in a church, in which many of its leaders obviously do NOT follow the Bible.
Lifelong indoctrination.
They’re told that salvation is only through their church. Reject the church and you go to hell.
That’s a big risk for someone to take who doesn’t realize that it’s a PERSON who saves, not a religious system.
Plus the whole transubstantiation thing, which all Orthodox religions believe in is what they think actually saves them. SMH
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