Europe's biggest mosque shuns scheme to open doors to Christians during Eid
EUROPE’s biggest mosque has shunned a scheme to open its doors to the public during Eid.
The Great Mosque of Rome did not sign up to the scheme to open its doors to non-Muslims
More than 2,000 mosques in Italy have signed up to the initiative to host believers from other religions.
But the Great Mosque of Rome is yet to agree as Italian Islamic communities welcome Christians, according to newspapers in Italy.
The project is designed to promote peace and harmony and to take a stand against terrorism with non-Muslims.
For years we have worked for dialogue and our doors are open to everyone, Christians and others
Instead believers met at the nearby Magliana mosque.
Foad Aodi, President of the Association of Foreign Doctors in Italy, said: "On Sunday we will be in the mosque in Via della Magliana, in Rome, to write a new page of inter-religious renaissance and to say no to all forms of violence".
The Great Mosque is the largest mosque in Europe.
The Great Mosque is the largest mosque in Europe
Abdellah Redouane said the mosque would not be taking part in the latest scheme
It is not the first time the mosque has distanced itself from events to promote solidarity with the church.
The mosque did not take part in a mass after the killing of Father Jacques Hamel by two Islamic terrorists in the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy, despite an Islamic delegation taking part in the service.
Abdellah Redouane, head of Rome's Great Mosque, said the Muslim place of worship would not be taking part in the latest scheme.
But he added: "For years we have worked for dialogue and our doors are open to everyone, Christians and others."
He also said: "Confusion and ambiguity come from those who seek visibility at any cost and present themselves as representative of Arabs, refugees, migrants and now Muslims - and who are not."
Imam Massimo Abdallah Cozzolino with a priest after the Holy Mass celebration for Father Hamel
Mosques and Islamic centres across the world have opened their doors to non-Muslims this week to coincide with Eid and to combat increasing Islamophobia in the West.
Earlier this year Pope Francis was invited to visit the Grand Mosque.
Pope John Paul II was the first Pope to enter a mosque when he visited the Grand Umayyad Mosque in Damascus in 2001.