A new Armenian church was opened in Abu Dhabi on Friday by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.
Sheikh Nahyan told the congregation he hoped the place of worship would help serve the needs of the Armenian community in the capital and the wider UAE.
“This building underscores that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has always been and continues to be a country whose people embrace Islam, the religion that preaches tolerance and respect for other faiths — values which constitute the basic pillars of our country and created the fertile ground where all people live in coexistence, peace and security,” Sheikh Nahyan said.
“The church is a spiritual symbol for the power of belonging and loyalty of the members of the Armenian community and for deepening social and religious interaction.”
Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia appreciated the efforts being made by Sheikh Khalifa for promoting tolerance between different religions and nationalities living in the UAE, according to Wam, the state news agency.
Hassan Youssef Saad, Lebanese ambassador to the UAE, and Gegham Gharibjanian, Armenian ambassador to the UAE, attended the opening, along with Armenian community leaders and hundreds of Armenian Christians.
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What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
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- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
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