Westminster Abbey service celebrates Middle East Christians

From Westminster Abbey-

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales attended a service to celebrate the contribution of Christians in the Middle East, at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday 4th December.

The service was led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, who said in his Bidding:

In this Advent season, as we approach the celebration of Christmas, our hearts and minds turn to the cradle of our civilisation, and in particular to Bethlehem as the birth-place of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

So we pray for all the people of the Holy Land and of the surrounding nations. We pray that they may live in harmony one with another, respecting difference and celebrating common humanity. And we pray for peace within each nation and between all peoples of whatever faith.

The Prince of Wales read a Reflection expressing concern for the difficult situations endured by Christians in the region, and support for those communities most affected.
Further Reflections were read by His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem; and Maulana Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, Director General and Chief Imam, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society.

More here-

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/christians-middle-east/

30,000 Shards of Historic Stained Glass Found in Westminster Abbey’s Attic Read

The Smithonian's take on a previous story-

Westminster Abbey is one of Britain’s most popular tourist attractions, but the vast majority of visitors have never seen its best feature: the view of the church’s interior from the triforium, a space used as an attic in the upper levels of the church. It was called “the finest view in Europe” by Sir John Betjeman, former poet laureate of Great Britain. That space is being remodeled into a museum, and in the process of cleaning it out, reports Maev Kennedy at The Guardian, researchers discovered 30,000 shards of stained glass from over the course of centuries of changes at the church. Those shards have since been conserved and are being reconstituted into new displays for a recently built tower.

Kennedy reports that archaeologist Warwick Rodwell first noticed the shards of glass glittering among dust and dirt in five-foot deep cone-shaped pits created by the cathedral’s vaulted ceilings. “Once I saw the glass, the penny dropped,” he said. “I realized this was treasure, not rubbish, and we would have to go through every inch of it. The workmen thought I was mad.”


Read more:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/30000-shards-historic-stained-glass-found-westminster-abbeys-attic-180967663/#ClH3dK86SMAtDTuC.99

Westminster Abbey's attics yield a treasure trove of stained glass

From The Guardian-

When the archaeologist Warwick Rodwell scooped up a handful of dust from the attics of Westminster Abbey and saw dozens of tiny fragments of glass glittering in the grime, he realised they were dealing with excavation, not house clearance.

The salvaged glass – some dating back to the 13th century, including stars, flowers and sun rays, fierce little mythical animals and beautiful medieval faces – is being recycled into dazzling new windows being made for the abbey at the stained glass studio at Canterbury Cathedral, where some of the original medieval glass artists may have worked.

The Westminster attics, the triforium, were being cleared out to create a museum space opening next year. It will be the first time the general public has been admitted to the spectacular space.

More here-

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/dec/27/westminster-abbey-attics-archaeologists-treasure-trove-stained-glass

Dean of Westminster defends inclusion of Muslim prayer in church service

From Nigeria-

The Dean of Westminster, John Hall, has defended the choice of a prayer in which the prophet Muhammad was described as 'The Chosen One' at the Abbey as "within orthodox Christian worship".

Dr Hall told Christian Today it was appropriate to offer hospitality to other faith traditions but this did not in any sense "compromise the form and orthodox character of our belief and proclamation."

The Abbey, which is a Royal Peculiar under the personal jurisdiction of the Queen and outside the Church of England's diocesan structures, was criticised by conservative Christians after a Turkish prayer was included in the annual Anzac Day service.

More here-

http://pulse.ng/religion/anglican-communion-dean-of-westminster-defends-inclusion-of-muslim-prayer-in-church-service-id3724738.html