ICC Note:

Interfaith Christmas celebrations including Christians and Muslims took place this year in Pakistan in an effort to show solidarity between the two religious communities. Christians are often the targets of Islamic extremists in Pakistan and are seen as outsiders because of their religious identity. Public displays of solidarity by Islamic leaders are important because it helps to fight the narrative that Christians are not truly Pakistani because of their religious identity. Will similar celebrations be seen throughout 2017?

12/30/2016 Pakistan (Christians in Pakistan) – In a special event held marking the festivity of Christmas and Eid Milad un Nabi, Lahore’s Franciscans and Muslims clerics put on a fine show of solidarity with each other. In this regard, Father Victor Sawera OFM, who had organized this event, said that such event nurture good Muslim-Christian relations as people from both faiths participate in the major holidays of each other’s’ religions.

This event was marked by the Christmas celebrations by Muslim clerics and Eid Milad un Nabi celebrations by Christian priest. At this occasion the member of the two communities exchanged Christmas and Eid Milad un Nabi greetings with each other.

Father Victor Sawera in a note sent to Fides stated: “We read passages from the Bible and the Koran. Some Islamic clerics offered the evening prayer in the chapel of the Franciscan center. There were several imams such as Syed Abdul Khabir Azad, Imam of the Royal Mosque in Lahore, who appreciated the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday in a Christian home: this can be an example to all citizens of Pakistan.”

“Interfaith dialogue and the promotion of peace and harmony are in the DNA of Franciscan spirituality and are indispensable today,” he emphasized by concluding “the urgent need to work harder to build peace and harmony among nations and religions. For us Franciscans, to be bridges of peace is a vocation.”

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