The Catholic Archbishop of Venice has expressed support for the construction of a mosque in Mestre

Archbishop Francesco Moraglia of Venice has officially expressed his support for the initiative to build a mosque in Mestre, a district on the mainland. According to Antyfon, the clergyman’s position is based on his conviction that the Muslim community must be provided with suitable conditions for performing religious rites.

Francesco Moraglia emphasized that every person has an inalienable right to freedom of religion, which implies the availability of appropriate spaces for prayer. At the same time, the archbishop set forth a number of important conditions: the future project must strictly comply with Italian law and the provisions of the country’s Constitution, as well as guarantee respect for human rights, particularly the rights of women.

The representative of the Catholic Church also called for constructive dialogue between government authorities and local Muslim communities. According to the archbishop, it is extremely important in this matter to be able to distinguish between political aspects and religious needs, while ensuring that they do not become completely alienated from one another.