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Egyptian-born writer one of 7 to receive sacrament at Easter vigil

March 23, 2008
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BY NICOLE WINFIELD

VATICAN CITY -- Italy's most prominent Muslim, an iconoclastic writer who condemned Islamic extremism and defended Israel, converted to Catholicism Saturday with an Easter vigil baptism by the pope.

An Egyptian-born, non-practicing Muslim who is married to a Catholic, Magdi Allam infuriated some Muslims with his books and newspaper columns. He titled one book, Long Live Israel.

Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful as he celebrates mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008.

Magdi Allam, Italy's most prominent Muslim, converted to Catholicism Saturday in a baptism by the pope at a Vatican Easter service.

As a choir sang, Pope Benedict XVI poured holy water over Allam's head and said a prayer in Latin.

''We no longer stand alongside or in opposition to one another,'' Benedict said in a homily reflecting on the meaning of baptism. ''Thus faith is a force for peace and reconciliation in the world: distances between people are overcome, in the Lord we have become close.''

The Easter vigil service at St. Peter's Basilica marked the period between Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus' crucifixion, and Easter Sunday, his day of resurrection.

Vatican Television zoomed in on Allam, 55, who sat in the front row with six other baptismal candidates.

Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of Coreis, Italy's Islamic religious community, said he respected Allam's choice but was ''perplexed'' by the high-profile way he chose to convert.

''If Allam truly was compelled by a strong spiritual inspiration, perhaps it would have been better to do it delicately, maybe with a priest from Viterbo where he lives,'' ANSA news quoted Pallavicini as saying.

There is no overarching Muslim law on conversion. But a widespread interpretation of Islamic legal doctrine says converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death -- though killings are rare.

Egyptian-born writer one of 7 to receive sacrament at Easter vigil (http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/856866,CST-NWS-vat23.article#)

If the man is a muslim, why would he accept baptism and why would a catholic baptize him? I would call that a mockery of God, the church, the faithful.

When praying for the unsaved, I suggest we don't limit ourselves to the unsaved of the catholic church. The unsaved are everywhere, in most churches and of course, in no churches at all.

I don't understand your question -- Allam was brought up as a Muslim, but he no longer believes in it and has converted to Christianity. 
In the eyes of many --probably most--  Muslims, his apostasy from Islam and conversion to Christianity is deserving of death, so he will be under constant threat of assassination.