ROMAN CATHOLICS AND MUSLIMS IN GREECE: INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE IN A BALKAN COUNTRY

Abstract

This paper is intended to analyse Islamic presence in Modern Greece especially under the
perspective of interreligious dialogue between Muslim refugees and Christian majority of Greek
population. In this context, many initiatives held by Roman Catholics in Greece, especially Jesuits,
Franciscans, local Caritas, Sisters of Mother Theresa, are devoted to Muslim refugees and people
of different migratory background. Humanitarian activity promoted by Roman Catholics favours
an interactive process with immigrants but also a fight for justice with the result of establishing
an interfaith dialogue with Greek Orthodox Christians. The meeting with refugees is aimed not
only to give them the possibility of making an income, but also to restore the dignity of migrant
people. So, for example, the Jesuit Refugee Center (JRS) and the Jesuit Welcome Center (JWC) are
meant to answer the urgent needs of people from Central Asia (Pakistan, Afghanistan), Northern
and Sahel Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, Nigeria) and other countries with Muslim majority. On
the other hand, these initiatives favour a regular daily routine through work and/or learning. This
goal inspired the “Pedro Arrupe Center”, a social justice and educational project, aimed to help
young refugees or children of families with migratory background to better pursue their school
integration process.