Islamic prayer room open in Vatican

In October 2025, the Vatican Apostolic Library quietly provided a small prayer room with a carpet oriented toward Mecca for Muslim scholars researching its collections, including ancient Korans. Described as a gesture of hospitality in a "universal institution," it sparked debate: supporters praise it for promoting interfaith dialogue under Pope Leo XIV, while critics like Bishop Marian Eleganti condemn it as enabling Islamic "dominance" without reciprocity, amid concerns over global Christian persecution. Social media reactions on X are polarized, highlighting tensions in Catholic-Islamic relations.