Condolence message from the Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Chief Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin on the death of Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot:


On behalf of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation and on my own behalf, I express my deep condolences and sincere sympathy in connection with the death of Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot.

The late Cardinal, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, did a great deal of work for the development of religious dialogue in general, and for the development of dialogue between Christianity and Islam in particular. He was directly involved in the historic visit of Pope Francis to the Arabian Peninsula, the meeting with the Supreme Imam of Al-Azhar, Shaykh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, and the signing of the joint Catholic-Muslim declaration ‘Human Fraternity for World Peace and for Living Together’.

We are grateful to Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixote for his openness to dialogue with our country, including Russian Muslims.

In these sad days, we share the pain and sorrow over the loss that has befallen the Christian world, and we extend to our Christian brothers and sisters words of sincere support and consolation.

With sorrow and prayers,


Chief Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin