Comedian Gad Elmaleh Explores Faith Journey at Catholic Press Event in Lourdes

Hesitation between Catholicism and Judaism, discovery of the Virgin Mary, importance of interfaith dialogue and difficulty for Catholics to assume their faith... were on the menu of an exchange between Gad Elmaleh and the Catholic press on the occasion of the International Days of Saint-Fraçois-de-Sales. "I am rich in a Jewish education, in a family that taught me traditions without being dogmatic. I am free and happy to turn to Christianity with a lot of curiosity, interest, sometimes perplexity, sometimes annoyance when I don’t understand things..." responds Gad Elmaleh to journalist Youna Rivallain, from La Vie.

To read:

His encounter with the Virgin Mary took place in Morocco, where he entered a church - which is nevertheless forbidden to him - in which he finds a statue of Mary. The comedian confides that this discovery "shook" him. But the Jews look askance at the fact that he shows interest in the Virgin, while the Catholics tell him "welcome"... "It’s not a player transfer from one club to another, it’s not a transfer window," Gad jokes. Back in Lourdes, he discovers the true "brotherhood", the mutual aid between the able-bodied and the sick.

Speaking about the Catholic faith, the producer of the film "Stay a Little" showed that he fully assumes it. A choice that is at the origin of the change in some of his habits, particularly those concerning women. "Before, I used to take them to the club, now I take them to mass," jokes the ex of Charlotte Casiraghi.

Speaking about interfaith dialogue, he assures that this dialogue between Jews and Muslims is part of "the DNA of two peoples who want to live together, with their complexity, their pains and their difficulties." His wish, he will say, is that this dialogue be lived on a daily basis, and not just a vain concept carried by the institutions. And to encourage: "The key is to get to know each other".