On Christmas Eve, churches all over the country will welcome into their midnight mass services people who rarely take part in acts of Christian worship but find candlelit carols irresistible. In the pews of St Alban’s in North Harrow there will be a special group of visitors: about three dozen Muslims from a nearby mosque.

For the past 10 years, worshippers at the Shia Ithna’ashari Community of Middlesex have been attending midnight mass at St Alban’s as a way of meeting their neighbors and taking part in Christmas festivities.

The Christmas visits were initiated by young members of the mosque. The executive committee checked with the church that they would be welcome, and every year since up to 50 Muslims have attended the midnight service. Versi said that most Muslims enjoyed Christmas celebrations and the focus on family.

Each year, the group from the mosque includes some people who have never been inside a church before. “We prepare them before the service, so they know what to expect. It’s up to individuals whether they want to sing carols or go up to the altar to be blessed. Some do, some don’t.” The mosque also provides volunteers to local churches that provide shelter for homeless people on a rotation basis over the festive period.

Source: The Guardian