More than 100 representatives of various Christian faith are coming together this week for a special three-day ‘synod’, the key feature of which will be a service at sea – the first-ever of its kind in Bahrain.
The synod – a formal gathering of church officials to discuss, deliberate and advise on matters of doctrine, administration and church life – will take place alongside a celebration of the 50-year golden jubilee of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.
“The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf was formed 50 years ago and it’s a real honour to host our synod in Bahrain for the first time ever,” St Christopher’s Cathedral Council chair David Axtell told the GDN.
“We’re delighted to welcome all our international partners to Bahrain for the first time and showcase the traditional hospitality that we love.
“We’re also hoping to use the special occasion of the jubilee celebrations to highlight the warm co-habitation of faiths from which we uniquely benefit, thanks to His Majesty King Hamad.”
The synod will begin today at 3.30pm at the St Chrisopher’s Cathedral with an opening eucharist – the central act of Christian worship and a sacrament, also called Holy Communion or the Mass.
A jubilee dinner, organised in collaboration with This Is Bahrain – the kingdom-based NGO and national initiative, established in 2014, dedicated to showcasing the country’s cultural diversity, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence – will also take place this evening at the Gulf Convention Centre, in the presence of Social Development Minister Osama Al Alawi.
“This Is Bahrain is honoured to host the gala dinner for this celebration and we congratulate The Right Reverend Sean Semple and all the congregations and clergies of the Diocese,” This is Bahrain chairperson Betsy Mathieson told the GDN. “We’d also like to thank His Majesty for allowing us to practise our faith freely and safely in Bahrain.
“The decision to host the synod in Bahrain, and welcome more than 100 delegates from 20 countries, is a testament to His Majesty’s stance on religious freedom.”
Tomorrow’s proceedings will start with a synod prayer led by the Diocese’s bishop The Right Reverend Sean Semple, followed by an address by the Anglican Communion’s permanent representative to the UN Martha Jarvis.
The synod session will be chaired by The Reverend Deborah Moorgas.
In the afternoon, around 4pm, the church representatives from more than 20 countries will meet at the seafront in Muharraq to embark on their voyage and an interfaith service at sea to be led by Bishop Sean.
According to Mr Axtell, the service, also being organised in collaboration with This Is Bahrain, at sea will highlight the cultural connection between Bahrain and its maritime heritage.
“The Anglican Church in Bahrain takes care of the Mission to Seafarers here, including the welfare and wellbeing of the crews visiting our shores,” Ms Mathieson added.
“We’re very honoured to support this wonderful initiative, which not only honours the Anglican Church’s belief in fishermen but also pays homage to Bahrain’s millennia of being a seafaring nation.
“We will be having interfaith prayers from other faiths to celebrate how we coexist in peace and harmony.”
On Wednesday, Ms Jarvis will once again address the attendees at the Gulf Convention Centre, followed by sessions covering financials, budgets and reports from various groups within the diocese. In the evening on Wednesday, the synod attendees will take a trip to Awali and have dinner at the Bapco Club after a visit to Awali Church.
The third day of the synod will have reports from various foundations under the umbrella of the diocese as well as a declaration of the house election results and the date and venue of next year’s gathering. The third day will conclude with a select group from the delegations visiting the UK Naval Support Facility in Juffair.
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