This year’s Church of England St Albans Diocesan Inter Faith Week event at St Albans Cathedral welcomed around 150 people from Beds, Herts, and Barnet. The theme was “How do we serve our communities”. Nearly 20 stalls showcased projects supporting refugees, winter kits for homeless, and those with dementia, eco-projects, peace gardens, food banks, soup kitchens, and inter-cultural cooking classes.
St Albans School students performed song and poetry that enthralled everyone. Dr Lesley Grey noted, “Events like tonight give me hope for a brighter future for my students. I see their tolerance and understanding expand, and their willingness to work with others is inspirational.”
Jewish and Muslim friends Adam and Akhtar spoke warmly of working together despite global tensions, visiting schools and communities to model solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
Dignitaries including HM Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss and HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan Lousada affirmed hope and solidarity and announced future community events to deepen community partnerships.
The Very Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans Cathedral welcomed all, and recalled St Albans’ foundation story of Alban sheltering the priest Amphibalus, who was fleeing persecution of Christians in Europe in the third century. She called it the story of strangers becoming friends, and said, “In that hospitality, the world was changed, as Alban courageously sacrificed his life to protect Amphibalus, and his faith. This place has since been a place of pilgrimage, inspiring shared humanity amongst people of all faiths and none.”
Bishop Richard Atkinson warned against divisive nationalism. He condemned misuse of Christian symbols by the far-right: “The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice for the other. Jesus calls us to love both our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger. Any co-opting and corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable.”
Inter Faith Advisors Revd Dr Alec Corio and Ulrike Hunt emphasised the Week’s role in widening participation and strengthening partnerships. Alec said, “Our Christian faith compels us to share in the radical hospitality of the cross, by seeking to build relationships that honour the differences between world religions and celebrate what all people share, together.”
The event closed with an optional guided tour of the St Alban shrine, leaving participants with a sense of shared purpose and hope.
Zaitun Sadikali, one of the event participants, said, “Many thanks once again for organising such a wonderful event. It was lovely to see distinguished guests and various faiths taking part at St Albans Cathedral. My friends and I had a fantastic time and it was great to see all the different faiths join in to unite, trust and respect our diverse religious communities so as to live peacefully and respect each other. Many thanks for all your hard work in arranging such an amazing Interfaith event.”
Revd Canon David Kesterton said, “Great to see these pictures and hear how well this event went. Onwards with positive vibes!”
Venerable Dave Middlebrook, Archdeacon of Bedford said, “Thank you very much for organising and running the event, which went very well and was very positive. It was good to be there and see the unity and desire for positive dialogue across faith groups. Thank you for all the hard work put into the evening, very much appreciated.”
Susan Lousada HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire said, “Thank you so much for inviting me to attend the Interfaith Week Event. It was an inspiring and uplifting evening, and I thought the whole event was put together beautifully. I greatly enjoyed meeting so many new people, as well as seeing many familiar faces representing the wonderfully diverse communities of Bedfordshire - and, of course, recognising Hertfordshire’s rich diversity too. The evening offered a meaningful opportunity for engagement across different faiths and traditions. The conversations and the shared commitment to serving our communities were very encouraging. Once again, thank you for including me in an occasion that provoked thought, fostered connection and promoted harmony.”
