Córdoba, Spain; Cathedral May See Return of Muslims (The camel's nose!)

The Guardian ^ | April 19, 2004 | Ben Sills

[quidnunc]

Centuries after Christian building was put at the centre of Córdoba's mosque, Vatican hears Spanish appeal to allow Islamic worship there

Muslims across Spain are lobbying the Roman Catholic church in the southern city of Córdoba to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation between faiths by allowing them to pray in the city's cathedral.

Córdoba's renaissance cathedral sits in the centre of an ancient mosque complex, and local Muslims want to be allowed to pray there again. They have appealed to the Vatican to intercede on their behalf.

Zakarias Maza, the director of the Taqwa mosque in neighbouring Granada, said yesterday: "We hope the Vatican will give a signal that it has a vision of openness and dialogue.

"It would be good if there were a gesture of tolerance on their part.

"Córdoba has been a symbol of the union of three cultures for centuries. Even now, Jews and Muslims live together with Christians in the neighbourhood around the mosque."

But he added: "The church council doesn't seem to be open to dialogue."

The Muslim community in the south of Spain is growing as a result of immigration from north Africa, and due to Spaniards converting. Córdoba now has some 500 Muslims, too manyfor the city's existing mosque.

There was widespread rejoicing among Muslims last year when a new and prominent mosque was opened in Granada after many years of negotiations, but church leaders in Córdoba appear reluctant to acknowledge the way Spanish society is evolving.

A spokesman for the local bishop told El Mundo that the proposal faced a lot of obstacles and it would be many years before it came to anything.

The proposals have also provoked anger in some parts of Spain's Catholic community.

"Will Christians be able to pray in the mosques of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iran or Kuwait?" demanded one contributor to a Catholic website. "Muslims should practise what they preach!"

-snip-

[dfwgator]

But what about the "rich, Corinthian leather?"

[Clemenza]

LOL. Have you ever met anyonoe who actually OWNED a Cordoba?

[freeangel]

You mean it isn't an urban legend?

[dfwgator]

Funny how some ads live long after the actual products in people's minds. I mean Ricardo Montalban will always be associated with that commercial.

[Sender]

...church leaders in Córdoba appear reluctant to acknowledge the way Spanish society is evolving.

"Evolving" implies positive change, usually, but not in this case. Hey Spain, too late to shut the barn door now! Have a nice dhimmitude!

[null and void]

They are only one terrorist attack away from giving permission...

[Frank_Discussion]

"Evolving" is a curious term, but applicable. Extinction is an often overlooked evoloutionary mechanism...

[Sender]

Extinction of the host organism is a possibility. The virus is doing quite well.

[areafiftyone]

Spain - the new Islamist State - they just don't know it yet.

[Guillermo]

I bought a leather hat in Cordoba 13 years ago. It's the best hat I own.

[valkyrieanne]

Good point made by the Catholic writer: how many Christians get to worship freely in majority-Muslim countries, much less at mosques?

[ZULU]

I hope the Catholic Church takes a good look at the Dome of the Rock and the Islamic fanatics who practise their beliefs there and they way they have blocked Jewish access to that area.

Give these people an inch and they'll take a mile.

There are plenty of Mosques in North Africa and the Middle East - perhaps they should go back there to worship.

Maybe when the Muslims allow Christian services again in Hagia Sophia in Instanbul, the Christians should permit Muslim services in a Christian House of Worship.

Its incredible the attitude these people have about "tolerance" in western countries and the exact opposite THEY practise in Muslim countries.

Outrageous.

[CatoRenasci]

when the Muslims allow Christian services again in Hagia Sophia in Instanbul

That oughta be the Pope's response! LOL or As soon as there is a Christian service (of exorcism) at the Kaaba in Mecca!

[CaptRon]

Muslims across Spain are lobbying the Roman Catholic church in the southern city of Córdoba to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation between faiths by allowing them to pray in the city's cathedral.

OK. When the jihadis make a "symbolic gesture" of not killing innocent non-muslims.

[CaptRon]

What I find most incredible is the timing of these demands/requests. Not too many years ago this would never have been brought up. Even locally, there is a Mosque that has existed in my home county for years, mostly unnoticed. Suddenly this Ramadan, it's decorated up in lights from sidwalk to roof.

I find this so odd because for all those years when the killing was confined to the Middle East, these people quietly went about their lives. Now, after mass murder committed here by their brethren, they decide to stand up and shout "Look at me!"

[broadsword]

...when the Muslims allow Christian services again in Hagia Sophia in Instanbul...

Damned right! It is an abomination to allow those bloodthirsty, satanic death-cultists to do their diabolical thing in a Christian church. Besides, I thought they were all for burning Christian churches down.

[Blue Scourge]

So I'm assuming that their PA bretheren are going to let the Jews into the Dome of the Rock to worship where the temple once stood...oh..they aren't?...well than, you tell those Moors where they can shove it.

[weegee]

Wasn't there some effort made to get the Church Of The Nativity claimed as a "muslim site" because of the hostage situation there recently? "People died, we need a mosque there"?

[ZULU]

Wouldn't surprise me at all.