KARACHI: While Muslims broke their fast, there were also Christians who broke their Lenten fast during the delicious iftar and dinner program organized by St Patrick’s High School at their main courtyard here on Saturday.
The theme of the day, which also coincided with St. Patrick’s Eve, or the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death, was dark green. Green is also considered a sacred color in Islam.
But before the Maghreb or sunset, the school’s students also presented several captivating presentations in the form of tableau performances and sketches to help pass the time before iftar.
There was a painting on interfaith harmony, a sketch on the consequences of greed, another on the importance of parental guidance. Closer to iftar, there was also the singing of hymns followed by ham And naat recitations.
Additional Director of the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions, Rafia Javed Mallah, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said she was touched to see so much interfaith harmony at work during the iftar.
Later, in her vote of thanks, the Deputy Principal of the school, Ms. Christine Martins, wished everyone good luck while remarking that there were only a few days left of Lent while Ramazan was still only a few days away. ‘at its beginnings.
“There are still many days of Ramazan left, so I wish my Muslim friends a blessed Ramazan and my Christian friends a peaceful Lent,” she said.
Reverend Father Mario Rodrigues, principal of St Patrick’s High School, said it had now become a tradition for St Patrick’s to hold an interfaith iftar during Ramazan and Lent, when Muslims and Christians fast.
“All staff and teachers at our school come from a variety of faiths, including Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. All of them prepared our Iftar program with the students, who also follow various faiths. We cannot say that we have organized a program only for Christians or only for Muslims. It was a very balanced program,” he stressed.
“Our school may be a mission school, but it is a school for students of all faiths. The same is true in our country, Pakistan, where people of all faiths are free to practice their religious obligations as they wish,” he said.
Finally, prayers were said for the country.
Published in Dawn, March 17, 2024
