Thousands of Muslims marched past Melbourne’s largest church last week. The Catholic church had a powerful response.
In an effort to gain the perspectives of both regional and urban Australians, news.com.au took to the streets of Newtown to consider…
Melbourne’s leading Catholic body has called for religious freedom and unity after thousands of Muslims gathered at an iconic cathedral.
Video shows a large procession of Shia Muslims outside St Patrick’s Cathedral as they observed Ashura, a significant date in the Shia calendar, on Friday.
The city’s Vicar General, the Very Rev Tony Kerin, could be seen meeting and exchanging gifts with the group.
News.com.au understands that the greeting was prearranged in response to controversy that erupted over last year’s event, and that the Catholic Archdiocese has good relations with the Ashura organisers.
A large procession of Shia Muslims was gathered outside the cathedral. Picture: Supplied
This year’s procession sparked online backlash, similar to last year’s event. Picture: Supplied
Fr Kerin gave gifts to two local Shia leaders. Picture: Supplied
During the backlash in 2025, critics wrote that Muslims had “surrounded” the cathedral, but organisers said they had stopped outside it coincidentally as they moved along Albert St.
The route for this year’s event also passed the cathedral and prompted similar comments, with Australian political activist Drew Pavlou writing that each year Shia Muslims “surround” the cathedral in their “public Ashura show of force procession”.
Iranian-Australian community leader Suren Edgar also told news.com.au that he believes Ashura processions are “more appropriately held in mosques, religious centres and private community venues” rather than in “prominent public locations where the wider community is drawn into them”.
Fr Kerin said he was “honoured” to meet with members of the Shia Muslim community in a “spirit of mutual friendship and respect, and to celebrate the religious freedom that allows us all to live and express our faith in peace and harmony”.
“Now, more than ever, it is important for people of faith to stand together in support of such freedom,” the Vicar General said.
The procession passes St Patrick’s Cathedral as it moves along Albert St each year. Picture: Supplied
Fr Kerin presented two Shia leaders, Sheikh Abu Mahdi and Allama Wajid Hussain Mahdavi, with a copy of the Holy Bible and a biography of Melbourne’s first Bishop, James Alipius Goold.
The scholars gave Fr Kerin a copy of the Koran and a framed Ashura poster, and said in a joint statement that the meeting “reflects our shared commitment to justice, compassion, mutual respect, and the peaceful coexistence of all faith communities”.
“We pray that this friendship continues to grow and serves as an example of unity for future generations,” they added.
‘Why do they need to take place in public spaces?’
Mr Edgar said he respected Australia’s commitment to religious freedom, but in his personal view, Ashura was more appropriate for mosques than public places.
“I question why highly visible mourning rituals, particularly Ashura processions involving drums, chating and intense symbolism, need to take place in major public spaces rather than primarily in mosques or religious venues,” Mr Edgar told news.com.au.
“Public spaces belong to everyone. For some people, especially children, teenages, and those who have fled religious authoritarianism, these displays can be confronting or distressing.”
Ashura is a Shia Muslim day of mourning marking the killing of Imam Husayn, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.
It includes self-flagellation, with many communities rhythmically striking their chests to share in Husayn’s pain, while others use chains on their backs or practice controversial, bloody rituals.
Ashura falls on the 10th day of the Islamic calendar month and processions take place in major cities all over the world — including New York, London and Sydney.
The day of mourning is strictly regulated in some countries, such as in Sunni-led Bahrain, where processions were given a curfew this year amid heightened tensions after the Iran war.
In Iran, the ceremonies are intertwined with pro-state and political messaging.
Muslim group defends Melbourne route
After widespread backlash last year, a spokesperson for the Ashura Committee insisted footage shared online by anti-Islam figures was misleading.
“The way it was captured seems to be almost convenient in a sense. Because the march takes the same route every year, it becomes convenient to target that location (with photographs and videos as they pass),” he said.
He added that the irony of the negative social media reaction was that “in order for us to be considered Muslims, we have to respect other religions including Christianity and Judaism”.
“Given what had happened, and understanding the members of the church would be impacted by it, we’re actually making an active effort to communicate with the church and clear up any misunderstanding that might exist. We’re actively reaching out,” he said.
Categories: Australia, Catholic Church, Shia