Pope Restoring Vatican's Muslim Office

Source: AP

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI plans to restore a Vatican office that specializes in relations with Muslims a year after he was criticized for disbanding it.

The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said in an interview in an Italian newspaper that the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue would be made a separate office and no longer merged with the Vatican's cultural office.

He said the move shows the importance the Vatican attaches to dialogue with other religions.

Vatican officials said Tuesday it was not known when the actual decision would be announced or whether English Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald - considered a top Islamic expert - would be brought back from his current post as papal envoy in Egypt.

When Benedict announced in early 2006 he was transferring Fitzgerald and merging his office with the Vatican's office for culture, some analysts worried that the Vatican would be left without a resident expert in Muslim affairs at a critical time.

Church relations with Muslims were badly strained after a speech by Benedict in Germany in September that linked Islam to violence. Benedict said he regretted that Muslims were offended by his remarks.

In November, the German-born pope made what was considered a successful visit to predominantly Muslim Turkey. During the trip, the pope prayed alongside a Muslim clergyman while visiting a mosque.

Editor: Helena Zhang