A packed house welcomed Minister Louis Farrakhan to St. Sabina Catholic Church on Friday night with a standing ovation and cheers for his health.
The 74-year-old provocative Nation of Islam leader, who has endured a series of health setbacks, didn’t speak from the Quran but from the Bible.
“Even though I am a Muslim — I don’t apologize for that — I’m also a Christian,” he told the crowd at 1210 W. 78th Pl. “Islam considers the Bible a sacred book.”
“A good Muslim is a Christian, and a good Christian is a Muslim,” he added later, stressing the common aspects of the faiths. “Whenever Christ’s name is mentioned, I feel at home.”
Farrakhan flashed a wide smile as he entered the sanctuary alongside his friend, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of the church.
A few months ago, Pfleger was at Farrakhan’s bedside as he recovered from surgery. Farrakhan promised to speak at the church, as he has done many times before.
“Tonight, we’re celebrating a healed man,” said Pfleger, who called Farrakhan “one of the most prophetic voices of our times.”
Farrakhan only occasionally looked at his notes. As usual, he peppered his talk with humor and frankness on topics such as women, sex and race.
“I feel very honored that the media is struck by my being in a Catholic church with a white pastor,” he said. “But in truth, we would not have to talk about color if color were not made something to talk about.”
Farrakhan last spoke publically on Mother’s Day at his headquarters, Mosque Maryam, 7351 S. Stony Island Ave. He thanked Allah for “giving me life beyond my wrestling with death.”