Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Spanish Court Acquits Muslim Tourists Who Attempted To Pray In Catholic Church
A judge in Cordoba, Spain has acquitted eight Austrian tourists who were charged in March with offending Catholic religious sentiments by attempting to recite Islamic prayers in the Mezquita Cathedral.(See prior posting.) Prior to the 13th century, the building was a mosque and Spanish Muslims have long asserted the right to pray there. According to Wednesday's LifeSite News, the court ruled that the tourists' actions were merely a public disorder and not an attempt to offend religious sentiments. They were aimed at supporting joint use of the building by Catholics and Muslims, and that, according to the court, does not discredit Catholic beliefs.