Muslims attend Mass to show solidarity with Catholics

Muslims gather across France and Italy.

Muslims have joined Catholics for Mass across France and Italy to show solidarity with Christians.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Across France and Italy, Muslims have joined Catholics for Sunday Mass. Their presence follows the murder of Fr. Jacques Hamel, whose throat was slit a week ago as he celebrated Mass.

The Archbishop of Rouen told parishioners at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, where Fr. Hamel was killed, "We are very moved by the presence of our Muslim friends and I believe it is a courageous act that they did by coming to us."

One of the nuns who was taken hostage in the attack hugged and shook hands with several of the Muslim attendees.

Over the past week, both Muslim and Catholic leaders have made a point to say Islam is not to blame for these attacks. Pope Francis has made clear that religion is not to blame.

ISIS would disagree. The Islamic State, which claims responsibility for these attacks, is entirely motivated by their religious beliefs.

In the view of the Islamic State, the Muslims who would attend a Catholic mass are not Muslims. Rather, they are apostates and enemies of Islam. They would be even more hated than the Catholics themselves. Good Muslims force conversions and kill Christians. There is no mistaking what is written in the Koran, and anyone who denies this isn't a true Muslim.

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