Vatican Library Provides Prayer Space for Muslim Scholars, Emphasises Spirit of Universal Learning
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News.
In a remarkable gesture of interfaith respect and inclusivity, the Vatican Apostolic Library has made special provisions for Muslim scholars visiting its premises by providing dedicated prayer spaces, according to its Vice Prefect, Fr Giacomo Cardinali.
Speaking in an interview with La Repubblica, the Italian newspaper, Fr Cardinali disclosed that Muslim academics had requested a small area to perform their prayers, and the library gladly agreed.
“Some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying, and we have given it to them,” he confirmed.
The development, Akahi News learnt, underscores the Vatican Library’s growing reputation as not merely a Catholic archive but a universal institution committed to intercultural dialogue, scholarship, and mutual respect among religions.
A Universal Repository of Knowledge
Founded in the mid-15th century, the Vatican Apostolic Library is often described as the intellectual heart of the Catholic Church, housing an extraordinary range of manuscripts, texts, and artefacts from across the globe’s faith traditions.
Fr Cardinali noted that its collections include ancient Qurans, Hebrew texts, Ethiopian manuscripts, and Chinese works, reflecting its wide embrace of human knowledge.
“We are a universal library,” he said, affirming the Vatican’s commitment to preserving the intellectual and spiritual heritage of all peoples.
Among its many treasures is what is believed to be the oldest medieval Japanese archive outside Japan, rescued by Father Mario Marega, a Salesian missionary who lived in Japan in the 1920s.
Fr Cardinali recounted that Father Marega discovered the documents after seeing children play with a ball made from old manuscripts, realising their importance and saving them from destruction.
“It was either a sensational stroke of luck or an inspiration from above,” Fr Cardinali remarked, describing how the documents were later spared from the atomic bomb’s devastation.
A Vast Collection of Global Heritage
Today, the Vatican Library’s holdings are staggering — 80,000 manuscripts, 50,000 archival items, nearly two million printed books, and more than 100,000 engravings, prints, coins, and medals.
Recent discoveries continue to enrich its legacy, including a rare manuscript of Spinoza’s “Ethics” found in recent years.
The library has also undergone a major digital transformation, allowing global access to many of its priceless texts through an online catalogue. However, Fr Cardinali noted that this openness has led to some curious — even bizarre — public inquiries.
“We receive the most absurd requests, especially from America,” he joked. “Do you have a time machine? The menorah from the Temple in Jerusalem that Titus took away? And the Holy Grail?”
Balancing Technology and Human Wisdom
Reflecting on the role of artificial intelligence in research, Fr Cardinali acknowledged that while technology could assist with cataloguing and organisation, it cannot replace human discernment.
“The problem is the same as it was 500 years ago: cataloguing,” he said. “A computer may help, but I don’t know if a machine would recognise a forgery. Maybe yes — but it wouldn’t be able to reconstruct the complicated history.”
His remarks reflect a broader Vatican perspective that, while welcoming modern innovation, upholds human intellect and moral judgment as central to knowledge and truth.
A Symbol of Interfaith Understanding
According to Akahi News, the Vatican’s decision to accommodate Muslim scholars with prayer spaces symbolises a deep respect for religious coexistence and intellectual fellowship. It aligns with the Church’s long-standing efforts to promote dialogue among faiths, a commitment emphasised by multiple Popes in recent decades.
Observers say the gesture demonstrates that even within one of the world’s most historic Christian institutions, the pursuit of knowledge transcends religious boundaries, making the Vatican Library a true global treasure — a sanctuary for both faith and reason.
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