Vatican in Saudi talks on building churches

[Mustafa al-Muhaajir]

Vatican in Saudi talks on building churches

· Pope's spokesman hopeful of 'historic' agreement
· Secret negotiations follow King Abdullah's Rome visit


The Vatican has been holding secret talks with the Saudi Arabian authorities on building churches in Muhammad's homeland, according to one of Pope Benedict's most senior Middle East representatives. Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hashem said: "Discussions are under way to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom. We cannot forecast the outcome."

But, speaking to the news agency Agence France-Presse, the Lebanese prelate, the Pope's envoy in the Gulf, added: "There are around three or four million Christians in Saudi Arabia, and we hope they will have churches."

At the Vatican, the Pope's spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said: "If we manage to obtain authorisation for the construction of the first church, it will be an outcome of historic dimensions."

The opening last Friday of the first church in Qatar left Saudi Arabia as the only country in the region that still bans the building of churches and all forms of open Christian worship. However the construction of even one church on Saudi territory would outrage Islamist militants. Saudi Arabia - home to Islam's holiest sites, at Mecca and Medina - is regarded by Muslims as sacred soil.

The Saudi authorities, inspired by the rigorous doctrine of Wahhabism, ban all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials. Bibles and crucifixes are confiscated at points of entry to the kingdom.

Diplomats in Rome said talks on the building of churches would be consistent with recent developments. Saudi Arabia is among the few countries that do not have diplomatic links with the Vatican, but sources in Rome say the Saudis are keen to establish formal relations. Last November, King Abdullah became the first Saudi monarch to visit the Vatican.

The Vatican demands religious freedom as a condition for the opening of diplomatic relations. Pope Benedict has made it one of the chief aims of his papacy to press for "reciprocity" of treatment by Muslims of Christians.

Vatican officials note privately that while Muslims are free to worship openly in Europe, Roman Catholics are subject to official and unofficial restrictions in many Muslim countries.

Christians - mainly foreign workers - account for almost 4% of the Saudi population. Estimates of the number of Roman Catholics range up to 900,000.

In Qatar last Saturday, some 15,000 people attended an inaugural mass at the country's first church. Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha, which has no or crosses on its exterior, is one of five Christian places of worship planned in the state, which borders Saudi Arabia.

Addressing the reciprocity issue, Qatar's deputy prime minister, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, said: "We are enjoying the construction of mosques and Islamic centres in the west, so we must be fair [to Christians]."

Hashem revealed the existence of the talks with Saudi Arabia while speaking on the sidelines of a Doha event. He also said he expected an announcement soon on the establishment of diplomatic ties with the neighbouring Arabian state of Oman.

The Pope is expected later this year to meet representatives of 138 Muslim scholars who wrote a letter to Christian leaders last October calling for peace between the two religions.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...on.saudiarabia

[Abu Nusaybah]

Bismillah.

Subhanallah!!! This surely can't be for real. If Aal Sa'ud were to allow the worshippers of the cross to openly have churches in "Bilad at-Tawhid", they'd be committing "suicide". Not even their most ardent defenders could fool the Ummah into believing that this is a legitimate step to take.

Allah Mustu'aan.

[Um Abdullah M.]

Don't believe everything the kafir media says.

[AbuUsama]

I think So called kibar e ulama are busy on finding evidence for this,
May Allah destroy them

[Noorah]

I think So called kibar e ulama are busy on finding evidence for this,
May Allah destroy them

unless you can be sure they have any involvement in this you have slandered them.

Since they produce not witnesses, they are the liars in the sight of Allaah
24:13

o you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another
49:12

[AbuUsama]

unless you can be sure they have any involvement in this you have slandered them.

Since they produce not witnesses, they are the liars in the sight of Allaah
24:13

o you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another
49:12

Just come out from your dream world, even though Churches has not officially built or not opened, everything is there inside American compounds but your beloved Ulema are silent upon it, so you are not fooling others but yourself

[Mashaagheb]

Surprise surprise..after allowing The Rawafed Mushrikeen holding their shirk worship at the Masjid An Nabawee, salallahu alayhi wa salam..would anyone be surprised?
And after showing affection by holding both hands of the one who insulted Islam,is anyone surprised?
Pretty much nothing coming from the current regime will surprise me anylonger, wa Allahu Al Must'aan.



If you do not have any shame, do whatever you like.

Um Abdullah
Don't believe everything the kafir media says.

Well here you got a link to a kuwaiti news agency, will you call them kafir media as well and thus fall into the "takfeer trap"?, there may be some muslims working there.

check them out:
http://www.alseyassah.com/news_detai...D9%89&nid=8644

[Abu Dharr Al Kashmiri]

Asalaam'alaykum,

which scholars hold the opinion that the jazeeratul'Arab is only al-Hejaz?

[Abu Nusaybah]

Bismillah.

Asalaam'alaykum,

which scholars hold the opinion that the jazeeratul'Arab is only al-Hejaz?

wa alaykum as-salaam wa rahmatullah.

Good question! I was wondering the same thing, because if this church building were to come to pass, then this would be the grounds that would be used to try and justify it.

But realistically, an out in the open church could surely never be built because it would be like setting up a new target on a firing range.

Allah Mustu'aan.

[morbius]

If you take guests in your house it is only natural that you take care of their needs during their stay. SA has accepted foreign workers and a lot of them have religious needs.

So choice for SA is simple, either don't take foreighners in or let them have places to prey.