Catholic and Muslim leaders condemn mosque desecration in Ourém

Catholic and Muslim leaders have issued a joint condemnation following the desecration of a mosque in Ourém, Portugal. The incident involved an intrusion by far-right activists who shared propaganda regarding the religious site on social media.

The Lisbon Islamic Community (CIL) has filed a formal complaint with the relevant authorities. In a statement, the CIL emphasized that a prayer room or individuals praying do not constitute a threat and argued that any concerns regarding the use of religious spaces should be handled by competent authorities rather than used as a pretext to provoke or humiliate religious communities.

Rui Valério, the Catholic Patriarch of Lisbon and president of the Episcopal Commission for Mission and New Evangelization, expressed solidarity with the mosque's leadership. He described the incident as an “abusive invasion” and criticized the instrumentalization of sacred spaces for political purposes, noting that the actions were rooted in a lack of understanding of the religion's identity and dynamics.