Vatican City: The Vatican has quietly approved the establishment of a Muslim prayer room within its historic Apostolic Library, a move that has drawn both appreciation and criticism across religious and academic circles. The decision was confirmed by Father Giacomo Cardinali, Vice Prefect of the Vatican Library, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Father Cardinali said that Muslim scholars researching at the library had requested a small room with a prayer rug. “Some Muslim scholars asked us for a room with a prayer rug, and we gave it to them,” he stated. The space is simple and modest, featuring a prayer rug aligned toward Makkah, allowing visiting academics to perform their daily prayers while engaged in research.
He explained that the Vatican Library serves as a meeting point of diverse cultures and faiths, reflecting the Church’s global intellectual heritage. “We are a universal library. We hold Arabic, Jewish, Ethiopian, and Chinese works, as well as incredibly old Qurans,” he said.
Founded in 1475 by Pope Sixtus IV, the Vatican Library is one of the world’s oldest and most respected repositories of knowledge. It houses more than 80,000 manuscripts, two million printed books, and thousands of engravings and coins. The library has long welcomed scholars of all faiths, offering open access to its vast archives.
The introduction of a Muslim prayer room is being hailed by many as a gesture of interfaith respect and academic inclusivity. However, some conservative voices have criticised the move, arguing that it risks blurring religious boundaries within the Vatican.
