Saudi Arabia agreed to a deal with the Vatican to build Christian churches in the Kingdom, a potentially stunning development for the country that’s home to Islam’s holiest site, Madiah.
Egyptian news media reports on Wednesday said the agreement was signed during a visit by Jean-Louis Tauran, the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue at the Vatican, during his visit in April.
Speaking to Vatican News, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran confirmed a declaration had been signed which paved the way for further dialogue.
“During my meetings, I insisted very much…that Christians and non-Muslims are spoken of well in schools and that they are never considered second-class citizens,” Tauran told the Vatican News, adding that he believes Saudi authorities wanted “to show that even in Saudi Arabia there is the possibility of discussion, and therefore of changing the country’s image.”