 On March 23, 2008, Magdi Cristiano Allam was offered the baptism during the Vatican's 2008 Easter Vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica presided over by Pope Benedict XVI, consequently Allam converted to Roman Catholicism, in a widely publicized and televised baptism ceremony (see #External links) as usual on every Easter Vigil service.In a 2,000-word letter to the editor of his newspaper, Paolo Mieli, Allam explained his motives for converting to Catholicism.He thanked his mother for sending him to Catholic schools, where he was able to "know Catholicism well and up close and the women and men who dedicated their life to serve God in the womb of the Church."