Spain Cathedral Refuses Muslim Requests to Form 'Ecumenical Temple'
The Roman Catholic bishop of Cordoba in Spain has rejected an appeal from Muslims asking to be allowed to pray in the city's cathedral.
by Daniel Blake
Posted: Friday, December 29, 2006, 12:20 (GMT)
The Roman Catholic bishop of Cordoba in Spain has rejected an appeal from Muslims asking to be allowed to pray in the city's cathedral.
Juan Jose Asenjo rejected the request for Muslims to use the Cathedral, a former mosque, which was made by Spain's Islamic Board in a letter to the Pope.
The Islamic Board had asked for the cathedral to become an ecumenical temple where believers from all faiths could worship. However, the bishop of Cordoba said the proposed move would not help to pave the way for the peaceful co-existence between people of different religions.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the bishop explained that the joint use of temples and places of worship would only generate confusion amongst the faithful.
Shared use of places of worship could make sense in airports or an Olympic village, but not in a consecrated Catholic cathedral, the bishop emphasised.
Spain's Islamic Board, represents a small community of some 800,000 in the traditionally prominent Catholic country of 44 million. They had taken the argument to the pope saying that the move in Cordoba could serve to "awake the conscience" of followers of both faiths and help bury past confrontations.
The letter stated, "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," according to the BBC.
The board's general secretary, Mansur Escudero, said Muslims came from around the world to see Cordoba's cathedral, but Muslim worshippers were often told not to pray inside the Christian Cathedral, which is no longer a mosque.
The Cordoba mosque was turned into a Catholic cathedral in the 13th Century after the city was conquered by King Ferdinand III.
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Added: Tuesday, January 2, 2007, 13:34 (GMT)
One note: the Cordoba cathedral was indeed a mosque, but before that it was a Catholic church that was turned into a mosque by the Moors when they invaded Spain. This isn't as simple as the article is painting it to be.
Kasia, Detroit, USA
Added: Tuesday, January 2, 2007, 11:52 (GMT)
I am so sick and tired of Muslims whining about the Christian uses of their former mosques. I am sick and tired of Muslims complaining because parts of Spain and other areas have been taken away from them. They are the ones who began the conquest of Christian areas. If they want Cordoba back, then give us back Hagia Sophia in Istanbul...in fact, give us back Istanbul so we can again call it by its proper name of Constantinople. Muslims--GROW UP!
Clint, Independence, USA
Added: Monday, January 1, 2007, 1:59 (GMT)
God Bless you. The media will not tell the truth that the mosque was built on top of the site of St. Vincent's Cathedral, which the muslims demolished.
They demand this after the way that His Holiness was forced to walk thru the Hagia Sophia with his hands in his pockets???
Do not be fooled, they will push and push and PUSH !!! They have NO interest in "an ecumenical space unique in the world". If they did, then one would be able to carry a bible in Saudi Arabia or wear a crucifix (or Star of David).
Ziggy, Massachusetts, USA
