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YEAR 1995 ---->

Prince Salman and Italian President Scalfaro Open Islamic Center in Rome

Riyadh Province Governor Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz and Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro in late June inaugurated the Islamic Cultural Center in Rome, the largest of its kind in Europe. The ceremony, which began with a reading of the Holy Qur'an by ten-year-old Ahmed Gaber, was also attended by Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ali, the Islamic Cultural Center Director Dr. Abdullatif Al-Khatani, Italian Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli and other senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Italy and other Muslim states.

The focal point of the new cultural center is a mosque with a prayer hall 197 feet by 131 feet in size surmounted by a central dome 65 feet in diameter and surrounded by 20 smaller domes. Built with marble and decorated tiles bearing Islamic motifs, the mosque's minaret is 129 feet high.

Capable of accommodating 2,000 worshippers inside and 2,000 worshippers outside, the mosque will serve the spiritual needs of the estimated 800,000 Muslims currently residing in Italy. The cultural center also houses a library with over 30,000 works, a conference hall, a museum of Islamic artifacts and an Islamic school.

The estimated cost of the project is 50 million U.S. dollars, with Saudi Arabia funding half of the cost and more than 22 other Muslim countries contributing the remainder. The 7.4 acres of land the complex is situated on was donated by the city of Rome.

Prince Salman pointed out that the mosque is a "worthy addition to Rome's rich heritage" and a "practical contribution toward what can be achieved by believers in God and his message in saving the ship of humanity, a ship battered by troubled times." He described the center as a "bridge between the Islamic world and Italy" and noted that Islam calls for cooperation between all peoples and all cultures.

Italian President Scalfaro told the participants: "We are glad that in this city of popes, Muslims now have a place of worship." During one of his public audiences, Pope John Paul II said: "It is significant that in Rome, center of Christianity, Muslims have their own place of prayer in full respect of their freedom of conscience."

Minister Al-Turki said the Rome center will help the Italian people in particular and the European people in general acquire a better understanding of Islam and its message of peace and brotherhood.

Before leaving Rome, Prince Salman and Minister Al-Turki met with Italian Prime
Minister Lamerto Dini to discuss Saudi-Italian relations and issues of common interest.

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What happened to Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi? Didn't he used to be the Chief Imam of Rome? Has he finally been fatwahed? (There has been a fatwah out on him for years)

Now, do you think they would let the pope open a cathedral in Mecca? Religion of peace my horses posterior.