REGINA – About a dozen different religions were represented at a local synagogue to celebrate World Religion Day on Sunday.
“You will see a lot of people coming here from different faiths, cultures, and traditions, and they will offer prayers. A prayer for peace is the theme for this year for us,” said Gagan Deep Singh, the chairperson of Regina Multi-Faith Forum.
About 100 people filled the seats at Beth Jacob Synagogue for the annual event, which has been organized by the forum for about two decades.
Recent deadly attacks in France executed in the name of religion have emphasized the need for unity and understanding among believers of different faiths, stressed the synagogue’s rabbi Jeremy Parnes.
“It is a great shame when the great religions of the world are threatened or to be hijacked by people who may not be true representatives of those faiths,” he said.
The event included Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, RQHR Spirital Care, and Muslim prayers.
“We are all breathing the same air, we all are connected together. Sometimes we forget that, we get caught up in our own, sort of, petty lives or what’s going on in our own, sort of, small worlds, and that can derail the larger picture,” said Parnes.
While violent incidents stemming from religious intolerance or religious extremism is a historical and topical reality, both Parnes and Singh remain optimistic peace is possible.
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
- Honda’s $15B Ontario EV plant marks ‘historic day,’ Trudeau says
- Several baby products have been recalled by Health Canada. Here’s the list
Comments