Fr. Michael Calabria, O.F.M., director of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, presented a lecture at the opening of an exhibition at the Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) in New Delhi, India, Oct. 26.

The exhibition, “The Mute Eloquence of the Taj Mahal,” explores the meaning and significance of India’s iconic monument from a variety of perspectives. His presentation examined the meaning and context of the calligraphic inscriptions in the tomb complex. Fr. Michael also authored an essay for the exhibition catalog titled “Shah Jahan’s Qur’an: The Epigraphic Programme of the Taj Mahal.”

In addition, Fr. Michael’s essay “An Interfaith Journey from Egypt to India” was published in A Vision for Muslim-Christian Cooperation: Experiences and Reflections, edited by Herman Roborgh and Joseph Victor Edwin, SJ (Delhi, 2025). It recounts his 40 years of study, ministry and research in the Middle East and South Asia.