Pope Francis greets Chems-eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, on Feb. 10, 2025. / Credit: Courtesy of the Grand Mosque of Paris
Vatican City, Feb 11, 2025 / 13:35 pm (CNA).
TherectoroftheGrandMosqueofParis,Chems-EddineHafiz,proposedtoPopeFrancisorganizingameetingbetweenChristiansandMuslimsintheFrenchcapitalthisyeartopromoteinterreligiousdialogueandfraternity.
HafizmadetheproposalonFeb.10atCasaSantaMartaintheVaticanduringanaudiencewiththepope,whichwasalsoattendedbyadelegationfromtheEuropeanCoordinationCouncilAMMALE(AllianceofMosques,Associations,andMuslimLeaders),anorganizationaimedatimprovingtheintegrationandpracticeofIslaminEurope.
InspiredbytheencyclicalFratelliTutti,theinitiativeseekstopromotefraternityandjusticethroughinterreligiousdialogue.
Duringthemeeting,thesecondbetweenthetwoafteroneheldin2022,thepontiffapologizedfornotreceivinghimattheApostolicPalace.
“Ihavebronchitis.IlivehereandIcan’tgoout,”heexplainedinavideopostedonthewebsiteoftheGrandMosqueofParis.
Despitetheillness,the88-year-oldHol
