Islamic art at Vatican

Interior in the Exterior by Ahmed Moustafa, dominates the first exhibition of works by a Muslim artist staged at the Vatican this week. It is a move seen as part of the Pope's attempt at reconciling the world's three monotheistic religions - Islam, Judaism and Christianity - for the millennium (Richard Owen writes). Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria said the work of Moustafa, who was born in Egypt but lives and works in Britain, was a mark of "the hope that Christians and Muslims can accept one another's differences and work together". Cardinal Arinze said the artist had been chosen by the Vatican because he drew on "a common stream of mystical experience".