It’s one of those headlines that makes you read it twice to be sure you saw it right: the Vatican Apostolic Library, one of the most sacred centers of Christian learning, now provides a prayer room for Muslim visitors.
Rev. Giacomo Cardinali, Vice Prefect of the library, told La Repubblica, “Of course, some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying and we have given it to them.”
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At first glance, it sounds like courtesy. But the Bible tells a different story. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). God is a jealous God who commands His people to tear down altars to false gods, not make room for them.
Background of the Decision
The interview, first reported by La Repubblica and later highlighted by Novus Ordo Watch, confirmed that Muslim visitors to the Vatican Library requested a space to pray, and the request was granted. The library, which houses centuries-old manuscripts including ancient Qurans, now accommodates Islamic prayer within its walls.
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This development comes at a time when the Vatican has restricted traditional Latin Mass celebrations while simultaneously expanding interfaith gestures. This contrast represents a troubling shift away from biblical separation and toward religious compromise.
Trading Conviction for Convenience
It’s troubling that a place dedicated to preserving Christian truth would facilitate worship to a god who denies Christ. Islam rejects that Jesus is the Son of God, yet the Vatican is making space for those prayers inside its walls.
Scripture warns, “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). The Church is called to love its neighbor, but love does not mean compromise.
God’s Word is clear. When Israel tolerated idols, judgment followed. The Lord said, “You shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images” (Ex. 34:13). He never told His people to share His house with other gods.
A Call Back to Holiness
This isn’t about denying kindness. It’s about keeping the sacred sacred. The Church should welcome people, not false worship. Holiness requires separation from what denies the truth of Jesus Christ.
God said, “My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images” (Isa. 42:8). The Church must remember that hospitality should never come at the expense of obedience.
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James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
