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Paris’ Grand Mosque celebrates its 100th anniversary and interfaith dialogue

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

PARIS (AP) — A hundred years ago, Paris erected a monumental mosque to honor Muslim soldiers from French colonies who fought in World War I. It’s now an integral part of the capital’s bustling Latin Quarter, and as it celebrates its centenary, worshippers are reflecting on being Muslim in today’s France.

The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris sees it as a symbol of interfaith dialogue and France’s diversity, but worries about religious tensions in the country linked to conflicts in the Middle East and the polarizing campaign for next year’s presidential election.

“It’s the responsibility of everyone to see Muslims as a part of the national community,” Chems-eddine Hafiz told The Associated Press.

Visitors arriving for 100th anniversary prayers Friday included people from different regions around Paris, those born in France or those who came over the decades from Algeria, Senegal and beyond. Many trace their origins to France’s colonial empire.

The Paris city tourism office’s website lists the mosque as a top attraction, calling its ornate, carpeted prayer room a “must-see.” Inspired by the Alhambra in Spain’s Granada , the mosque has a 33-meter (108-foot)-high minaret…

Source: Religion News Service · Read the full story →

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Θεοδώρα Μακρή

Interesting article. That it was built to honor Muslim soldiers from the colonies in World War I points to a certain historical moment, but I wonder if today in France everyone really sees them as "part of the national community" as the rector says. Praying for 100 years with people from Algeria, Senegal and natives born there sounds beautiful, as long as it is not just a tourist attraction.

Kristaq Prifti

Interesting article, especially the part where they say that the mosque was built to honor the Muslim soldiers from the colonies in the First World War. But as Θεοδώρα also asks, I wonder if today in France they really see them as part of the national community, especially with the tensions that rector Hafiz mentions about the conflicts in the Middle East and the presidential campaign.

Anastasia Kristo

Yes, the article highlights that part of the colonial soldiers well, but the tensions that Hafiz mentions seem real to me. I have read that after the recent attacks, many French people see mosques as something "foreign", not part of Paris. What do you think, can the inter-religious dialogue change something concrete in the next elections?