The Diocese of Rome has announced the celebration of a meeting between Christians and Muslims that will take place next Thursday, May 7, at 5:00 PM in the Great Mosque of Rome, as part of the interreligious dialogue initiatives promoted by the Vicariate.
The event, titled “Christians and Muslims in Dialogue at the Great Mosque”, is jointly organized by the Cultural Islamic Center of Italy and the Diocese of Rome, according to information provided by the Vicariate itself in a statement released today.
Institutional Participation and Program
The meeting will feature interventions from, among others, Monsignor Marco Valentini, auxiliary bishop of the northern sector of Rome, and Monsignor Marco Gnavi, responsible for the ecumenism and interreligious dialogue area of the diocese. Representatives from the Islamic and academic spheres will also participate, such as Abdellah Redouane, secretary general of the Cultural Islamic Center of Italy, and Professor Wasim Salman, president of the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI).
The day will conclude with a guided tour of the mosque, led by Imam Nader Akkad. During the event, the so-called “Cards to Know Islam” will also be presented, developed jointly by a mixed commission of Christians and Muslims.
Dialogue as a Pastoral Axis
From the Vicariate, it is emphasized that this type of initiative fits into a line promoted since the beginning of the pontificate of Leo XIV, which—according to the statement—has insisted on the importance of encounters between religions “with clarity.”
In this line, continuity is recalled with the approach developed in recent decades, in reference to the spirit of the document Nostra Aetate from the Second Vatican Council and more recent approaches on fraternity and dialogue.
Monsignor Gnavi himself highlighted that “no opportunity for dialogue is irrelevant,” defending that this type of encounter contributes to generating a “culture of peace” in an international context marked by conflicts and tensions.
The Great Mosque as a Space for Encounter
The statement presents the Great Mosque of Rome as a “place of fraternal encounter between Muslims and Catholics,” highlighting the role of the Cultural Islamic Center of Italy in promoting initiatives for mutual understanding.
According to the organizers, the objective is to foster greater understanding between both religions and promote coexistence based on respect and cooperation.