A Call for Reconsideration: The Vatican’s Decision to Open a Muslim Prayer Room

“Some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying and we have given it to them.” – Vice Prefect Fr Giacomo Cardinali.

As the Reverend Bishop of a Canadian National Church, a registered non-profit organization under federal and provincial law in British Columbia, I write with deep concern regarding a recent decision by the Vatican. On October 15, 2025, reports emerged that the Vatican Apostolic Library will open a Muslim prayer room to accommodate visiting Muslim scholars, as stated by Vice Prefect Fr. Giacomo Cardinali: “Some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying and we have given it to them.” This announcement, first highlighted on X by Oli London and covered by the Catholic Herald, has sparked widespread debate and concern among evangelical communities worldwide, including our own.

Our Evangelical church, rooted in the traditions and teachings of the Christian faith, cannot endorse this move. The establishment of a prayer space for Muslim scholars within the Vatican—a bastion of Christian heritage—raises profound theological and cultural questions. While the Vatican frames this as an act of hospitality and interreligious dialogue under Pope Leo XIV’s leadership, we view it as a troubling departure from the sanctity and exclusivity of Christian worship spaces. The lack of reciprocal accommodations for Christian worshippers in Muslim holy sites, such as Mecca, further underscores the imbalance of this decision.

The Bible calls us to stand firm in our faith and to guard the purity of our worship. As it is written in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” This scriptural principle guides our stance. We respect the right of all individuals to practice their faith, but we urge the Vatican to reconsider and revoke this accommodation, ensuring that the Vatican remains a symbol of Christian unity and devotion.

We call upon our congregation and fellow believers to join us in prayer and advocacy. Let us seek wisdom and discernment for the leaders of the Catholic Church, that they may return to the foundational principles of our shared Christian heritage. This is not a rejection of dialogue but a plea for fidelity to the teachings that have sustained the Church for centuries.

Written by Lord, John:McIlwraith Reverend Bishop, on October 15, 2025, at 02:35 PM PDT.

Sources:
– Oli London on X
– Catholic Herald