No join prayers during the Pope's visit to the Umayyad's mosque
Syria-Vatican, Politics, 3/16/2001

High ranking Muslim and Christian clergies on Wednesday said that Pope John Paul II will enter the " Grand " umayyad's mosque in Damascus during his visit to Damascus in May but no joint " Muslim and Christian " prayer will be held on this occasion.

The director general of al-Iftaa administration at the Syrian al-Awqaf (endownment ) ministry Zeyad eddine al- Ayoubi said that the minister of al-Awqaf ( Abdul Raouf Zeyadah) and the Republic's mufti Ahmad Kifrato will receive the Pope at the door of the mosque and will enter the reception hall of the mosque.

He added " then the Pope will visit prophet Yahya tomb and if weather conditions are good, people will be gathered at the square of the mosque and it is expected then the Pope to deliver a speech. But no joint prayer will be performed." News reports in Damascus quoted the secretary of the Catholic Ð Greek patriarchy Ezedour Batteikha as saying that the Pope's visit to the Umayyad's mosque, in being a monument of Damascus, will be limited to mere " silent appearance " ( with no activities, no prayer ) and a visit to the tomb of prophet Yahya ( John the Baptist)."

Previous Stories:
  The Pope to perform a special prayer at the Umayyad mosque   (3/12/2001)
  The Pope will visit the tomb of John the Baptist at the Ummayad Mosque in Damascus   (3/7/2001)

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