The Vatican has called the Koran burning an "outrageous and grave" response to the attacks of 9/11.
"These deplorable acts of violence, in fact, cannot be counteracted by an outrageous and grave gesture against a book considered sacred by a religious community," the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Affairs said in a statement Wednesday through the Holy See Press Office.
"Each religion, with its respective sacred books, places of worship and symbols, has the right to respect and protection. We are speaking about the respect to be accorded the dignity of the person who is an adherent of that religion and his/her free choice in religious matters.
The Vatican, which is technically the world's smallest country, has a population of just over 800 people, presumably all Roman Catholics. Protestant Christians also condemned planned the Florida event. In America, the 45,000-church National Association of Evangelicals and 16 million-member Southern Baptist Convention both criticized it.
"Book burning is a cowardly act by those afraid that their beliefs aren't strong enough to attract people if they are allowed a choice," said prominent megachurch evangelist Rick Warren, according to The Tennessean.
