Modi lost his majority in parliamentary elections held between April and June and had to depend on fickle allies to form a government
asia4 hours ago
An oasis of peace, a refuge, a home away from home, an institution for life: St. Andrew's Church has been all of this and more to the Abu Dhabi Christian community, its long-time members recalled as the Anglican church celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday.
Jose Bernado Gomes, 62, who worked as a parish clerk for 32 years from 1980 to 2012 at the church, said he was "beyond happy."
"It is a very special moment for me. This church has been my life and existence since I arrived in the UAE in 1979," Gomes told Khaleej Times. He left the UAE in 2012, but was specially invited by the church for the anniversary ceremony.
"I used to work in the church when it was on the corniche first, and then moved to this new building in Muroor. I used to do everything from running errands to taking care of the paper work. Today, I see a lot of old faces. It is like a homecoming to me," said Gomes, who is married with three grown-up children. He currently lives in Goa, India, with his family.
Addressing the attendees, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, said: "You have been a shining example of tolerance and selfless service to the community. It is always humbling to see someone walk the talk.
"You stand for your fellow men. You have chosen to share your facility with members of other congregations rather than keep it for your sole use and convenience.
"Your generosity in sharing your church building and gardens for others is a great example of tolerance and key values that have made the UAE one of the most peaceful and prosperous places on earth."
More than 50 congregations catering to different nationalities including Ethiopians, Koreans, Pakistanis, Indians, Nepalese and Western expats worship at the church.
A new church - All Saints Anglican Church - is under construction in Musaffah, and once complete, it will be the biggest Anglican church in the Middle East.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com
Modi lost his majority in parliamentary elections held between April and June and had to depend on fickle allies to form a government
asia4 hours ago
Sporadic fighting between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has killed around 150 over the past months
asia5 hours ago
Imagine if a nurse or doctor didn't feel safe to report an error seen by colleagues — consider how many patients could be at risk
jobs6 hours ago
Trump has plucked a number of presidential appointments from Fox News programs, both in his first term from 2017-2021 and since being elected again on November 5
world6 hours ago
This place also offers golden karak tea for Dh150 and if you want to buy gold-infused water, get ready to shell out Dh300
food6 hours ago
A unified platform for drone operations will also be launched, streamlining registration and operational procedures
uae7 hours ago
The US prosecutor charges are the biggest setback for India's $143 billion Adani Group, which was last year hit by Hindenburg Research's allegations of improper use of offshore tax havens
asia8 hours ago
Launched in 2008, Chrome dominates the browser market, dwarfing rivals Edge and Safari, developed by Microsoft and Apple, respectively
tech8 hours ago