WORLD
RELIGION DAY — Aarti
Goyal of the Hindu Community signals the start of World Religion Day
observances with a long blast on the Sankh, a conch shell used in traditional
Hindu ceremonies. (Flegel photo)
World Religion Day observed
By Frank Flegel
REGINA — Representativesfrom
12 faith traditions gathered in Regina’s
Beth Jacob Synagogue Jan. 15, each to pray in their own language for
peace, brotherhood, understanding and tolerance in recognition of World
Religion Day.
World Religion Day was established
in 1960 by the U.S. Baha’i
community and has since spread around the world. The Regina Multifaith
Forum each year organizes the event and Beth Jacob each year agrees
to host it.
Multifaith Forum president
Moses Kanhai greeted the approximately 100 people who braved the
cold, blustery weather, describing the afternoon’s
gathering as “an opportunity to raise our voices in praise and
thanksgiving.”
The activity, he said, “brings us together in ways we cannot imagine.”
He
also said it creates a more caring and peaceful society. Indeed, many
of the prayers were for peace among all people, tolerance and understanding
and creation of a more caring society.
A soft gong signalled each new representative who came to the lectern
and recited their prayer in a traditional language, most offering a
translation at the end of the prayer or after each line. Some chanted
their prayer and a few wore traditional clothing, notably the Buddhist,
Sikh and Muslim representatives. A short interlude of soft music played
between the presentations.
The Christian representative, Rev. Charles Kooger of Sonlight Christian
Reformed Church, recited the Our Father following his presentation
and many of the 100 spontaneously joined in.
Aarti Goyal of the Hindu
community signalled the start of the event with a long blast on the
Sankh, a conch shell used in traditional Hindu ceremonies, and Barry
Braitman of the Jewish community ended with a series of short blasts
and one long blast of the Shofar, a Ram’s
Horn used in some Jewish ceremonies.
Coffee, tea and juice, along with cookies and a variety of other home-baked food, was available at the reception following.
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