Pope baptizes one of most prominent Muslims

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Associated Press

Posted online: Sunday , March 23, 2008 at 12:18:16

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Vatican City, March 23: Italy's most prominent Muslim commentator, who has long spoken out against Islamic fanaticism and received death threats as a result, has converted to Roman Catholicism during the Vatican's Easter vigil service presided over by the pope.

Magdi Allam, 55, is the deputy editor of the Corriere della Sera newspaper and writes often on Muslim and Arab affairs. He was born a Muslim in Egypt, but was educated by Catholics and says he has never been a practicing Muslim.

Allam's criticism of Palestinian suicide bombings prompted the Italian government to provide him with a sizable security detail in 2003, after Hamas singled him out for death, Allam told the Il Giornale newspaper in a December interview.

Pope Benedict XVI yesterday baptized Allam and six other adults during the service in St Peter's Basilica. The Easter vigil marks the period between Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus' crucifixion, and Easter Sunday, which marks his resurrection.

As a choir sang, Benedict poured holy water over Allam's head and said a brief prayer in Latin. Later in the service, Allam also received his first Communion along with the other candidates.

In his homily, Benedict reflected on the meaning of baptism, saying the Lord enters into the heart of the new Catholic through the sacrament.

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

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