It's always heartwarming to see interfaith communities come together regardless of their faiths and backgrounds. As we're journeying through the last week of Ramadan, here's a story that will warm your heart!
Credit: Fareed Chik on Facebook
Just a 30-minute drive from Perth, you'll find St. Paul's Anglican Church situated in Fremantle. Led by reverend Peter Humphris, what sets this church apart from the rest is that they opened their community hall, located within the church's compound, to the Muslim community to perform their Friday prayers since 2016.
In our recent interview with Faizi, a Malaysian who resides in Perth with his family, he shares that the prayer space was provided by the reverend himself. "It all started when the Muslim community in Fremantle does not have a place to perform Friday prayers. So they [led by Imam Feizel Chothia] decided to ask the reverend if we can use the old building for Muslims to pray, and they said yes," said Faizi.
Credit: Fareed Chik on Facebook
According to SBS News, reverend Peter Humphris felt that welcoming other communities to pray was a natural extension to the church, "Everyone who has come to the precinct, to the church, every prayer is we're sharing. So it was a delight to think we would have another community alongside the community that's already here joining in that activity."
Over the years, the church has also added a water feature outside the community hall, so Muslim worshippers can perform ablution before their prayers. At the same time, the church goers can also use it to wash their feet during Easter celebrations, as shared by SBS News.
WATCH NOW: Ramadan In Perth, Western Australia
Catch Malaysians Faizi and Oni in our amazing Ramadan in Perth video where we share how Ramadan is celebrated in Western Australia and a glimpse of the Friday prayers being performed at the community hall of St. Paul's Anglican Church! You can also read stories from Hadi Hamkha from Singapore and Amira Nunn from Malaysia in Ramadan Around The World: Celebrating Ramadan With The Interfaith Community In Perth.
If you're looking for a prayer space in Fremantle for Friday prayers, you can save these details below for your future getaways!
St. Paul's Anglican Church
Address: 162 Hampton Rd, Beaconsfield WA 6162, Australia
Opening hours: Every Friday, 1.10PM-1.45PM (for Friday prayers)