The Vatican has approved a request from Muslim scholars for a dedicated prayer space within its historic library.
Father Giacomo Cardinali, Vice Prefect of the Vatican Library, told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that the library now provides an area where academics can observe their faith.
“Some Muslim scholars asked us for a room with a prayer rug, and we gave it to them,” Cardinali said.
Established in 1475 by Pope Sixtus IV, the Vatican Library is one of the world’s oldest, housing religious texts from across the globe. Cardinali highlighted its extensive and diverse collections, including Arabic, Jewish, Ethiopian, and unique Chinese manuscripts. He also noted that the library possesses the oldest medieval Japanese archive outside Japan.
Today, the library’s holdings include around 80,000 manuscripts, 50,000 archival items, 100,000 engravings, prints, coins and medals, and nearly two million printed books.
Through an online request system, Cardinali said the library receives unusual inquiries from all over the world. “We’ve had some of the most absurd requests, especially from America: Do you have a time machine? The Menorah from the Temple of Jerusalem taken by Titus? And even the Holy Grail?”
Despite its revered status, not everyone approaches the Vatican with the same level of respect.
