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Thursday 25 April |
The Feast of Saint Mark
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Muslims attend Catholic Mass in France as show of solidarity

Deacon Greg Kandra - published on 07/31/16

From Associated Press:

In a gesture of solidarity following the gruesome killing of a French priest, Muslims have attended Catholic Mass in churches and cathedrals across the country and beyond.

Television footage showed dozens of Muslims gathering at France’s towering Gothic cathedral in Rouen, only a few kilometers from Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, where the 85-year-old priest was killed by two teenage attackers on Tuesday.

Other interfaith gatherings took place elsewhere in France on Sunday. Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Mosque of Paris, was among those who attended a congregation at Paris’ iconic Notre Dame cathedral.

Read more.

Elsewhere, there was this interesting detail: 

Muslims in France have refused to bury one of the men who murdered an 85-year-old Catholic priest in his church last week. Community leaders say they will not bury 19-year-old Adel Kermiche as they do not want to “taint Islam” with his crimes. Kermiche pledged allegiance to Isis and was one of two who slit Fr Jacques Hamel’s throat during mass in his hometown in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy. …One local Muslim, Khalid El Amrani, said Kermiche’s actions were “sinful” and “he is no longer part of the community,” the Metro reported.

Check out the video below.

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