Rome's envoy to Saudi Arabia converts to Islam
By Luke Baker
ROME (Reuters) -- Italy's ambassador to Saudi Arabia has
converted to Islam, the second time in seven years that an envoy of Rome
to the land of Mecca has adopted its religion.
Torquato Cardilli, a career diplomat from overwhelmingly Roman Catholic
Italy, revealed his decision to Saudi newspapers Saturday, his 59th
birthday. Italian diplomatic sources confirmed the announcement Monday.
His official conversion was made on the eve of the Islamic holy fasting
month of Ramadan, which began on Nov. 16 in Saudi Arabia. Cardilli himself
could not be reached for comment but an employee at his embassy in Riyadh
confirmed the reports.
The Saudi embassy in Rome said it planned a statement later. An embassy
spokeswoman said there was no record of any Saudi ambassador to Italy ever
converting to Catholicism.
Italy's Foreign Ministry had no comment.
The conversion of Cardilli -- who is married with two children --
follows the move to Islam made by Mario Scialoja, Italian ambassador to
the Arab kingdom in 1994-95, who has since left the foreign service and is
head of Italy's Muslim League.
Scialoja's decision came as a shock, made while he was Rome's permanent
representative to the United Nations in New York and long before he was
posted to Riyadh.
Cardilli's change of faith follows years of study of Islam. A graduate
in oriental culture and languages from the University of Naples, Cardilli
has spent much of his 33-year diplomatic career in the Muslim world.
Following postings in Sudan, Syria, Iraq and Libya, he took over the
embassy in Riyadh in October last year. Cardilli has also served as
ambassador to Albania and Tanzania.
His personal move comes at a sensitive time, with Italy a member of the
U.S.-led coalition fighting the hard-line Islamic Taliban movement in
Afghanistan and barely two months after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
offended the Muslim world by saying Western Christian civilization was
superior to Islam.
Corriere della Sera newspaper said Cardilli had been recalled to Rome
"for consultations."
Some 3,000 to 5,000 Italians have converted to Islam from Catholicism
in recent years, according to figures from the Union of Islamic
Organizations and Communities.
A spokesman for the Italy-based group said it welcomed Cardilli's entry
into the Muslim community, saying of his conversion: "The ways of the Lord
are infinite."
Copyright 2001 Reuters. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
redistributed.
;)
|
1.gif
cnn.com.logo.gif
xx.hd.world.gif
aol