January 9th 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin was admired how carefully Muslims preserve Christian shrines, citing the example of the Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian capital Damascus where the relics of John the Baptist (prophet Yahya) are kept. The Russian leader noted that during his visit to the Orthodox Church in Damascus last year he managed to visit the Umayyad Mosque to see the relics of John the Baptist.
«It was quite unexpected for me to find out that the relics of John the Baptist are carefully preserved in the mosque and greatly revered in the Islamic world», said Putin in an interview for the film «No Room for Error. The Christmas Visit to Damascus» which was aired on the «Russia 1» TV Channel.
The President pointed out the close ties between Islam and Christianity. Both world religions are based on common moral, ethical and humanitarian values. Many Muslims, like Christians, contribute great respect to both Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. In this regard, Vladimir Putin praised the representatives of Islam for preserving Christian shrines in Syria.
