THESE "wise men" - two Muslim sheikhs - came bearing gifts of
friendship and peace to the congregation of St Mary's, Wenvoe, near
Cardiff, in Llandaff diocese, at Epiphany. They also brought their
families to take part in the Epiphany service, as a sign of
reconciliation between the two faiths.
Sheikh Abdallah Yassin Mohammed (right in photo),
originally from Sudan and now a member of the Muslim Council of
Wales, and Sheikh Elnayyal Abu Groon (left), from Jordan,
joined in prayers during the service and received a blessing at
communion.
The service was led by Canon Robin Morrison, a retired Church
and Society Officer for the Church in Wales; and, instead of a
sermon, Canon Morrison interviewed Sheikh Abdallah about shared
concerns in a world of religious violence and division.
The visit was part of a project, the Open Tent, set up by the
two of them to counter Islamic sectarian division. The project
seeks to promote the "common humanity" of people of the two faiths.
It follows a series of ten joint conferences between the Church in
Wales and the Muslim Council in Wales.
"Epiphany celebrates the Magi, the wise ones - scientists,
astrologers, and cosmologists - as they sought for new meaning and
hope, enlightenment and understanding, in the birth of a baby in
Bethlehem," Canon Morrison said. "This was a good context for the
representatives of Islam to meet Christians and share a mutual
concern for new understanding, peace, and love between people of
all faiths."