In Milan, a Catholic priest set aside a space for Islamic prayer on parish grounds

In one of Milan’s parishes, Catholic priest Giovanni Salatino has set aside a special space for Islamic prayers. The initiative, presented as a step toward interfaith dialogue and inclusivity, received support from the Archdiocese of Milan, which referred to Catholic parishes as “laboratories for interfaith encounters.”

According to Life Site News, on June 8, 2026, the priest of the Milan parish officially announced the allocation of space within the parish for Muslim prayer. According to the priest, his decision is based on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the principles of welcoming people from different religious traditions.

Salatino stated that Christians and Muslims “pray to the same God,” even though they belong to different religious traditions. He emphasized that recognizing another person’s identity, in his view, is in keeping with the spirit of the Gospel, and that supporting people of other faiths within the Catholic community does not contradict its mission.

The priest also noted that among the parish’s senior leaders are Muslims who will be able to lead prayers together with children and young people. He expressed hope that the Islamic phrase “Bismillah,” which invokes the name of God as compassionate and merciful, could be used in parish life.

The Archdiocese of Milan supported the priest’s actions and published a document on the reform of the oratory system. In it, the parish is described as a space open to interfaith encounters, including moments of non-Christian prayer.

The diocesan document emphasizes that welcoming every person should not be seen as eroding religious identity. The authors of the text link this approach to the Christian understanding of the Incarnation, in which, as the document states, God does not suppress diversity but embraces it.