KENYA: Catholics, Muslims Unite for Lent-Ramadan
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On the eve of the Christian Lenten season and the Muslim Holy month of Ramadhan, which commenced on the same day this year, Wednesday, February 18, after decades of such occurrences, Interfaith leaders in Kenya met in the Coastal region of the country, in Malindi Diocese, to promote peaceful coexistence among the people.
Lent is the Christian season of fasting, prayer, and repentance leading to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ (Easter). Ramadan, on the other hand, is Islam’s holiest month, a time of fasting, increased devotion, and charity. Both traditions invite the faithful to turn away from worldly distractions and deepen their relationship with God and with one another.
In Malindi, where Mosques and Churches have long shared the same streets, the religious leaders seized the sacred seasons as an opportunity to amplify a message that has never been more needed: that faith, at its core, calls all believers to the same fundamental virtues.
They said in their Tuesday joint statement, “Faith communities can and must work together in advancing peace, moral responsibility, and social stability.”
According to the religious leaders, the February 17 conference that marked the commencement of the sacred seasons for Christians and Muslims, “presents a unique opportunity for reflection, prayer, fasting, and renewed commitment to spiritual growth across faith communities,” along the coastal region.
From their deliberations, the leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to: “Promoting peace and peaceful coexistence, providing moral and spiritual guidance, strengthening social harmony and supporting sustainable community development.”
Besides, they said, amidst the diversity in faith, the interfaith leaders are ready to promote religious unity, peaceful collaboration, and responsible community leadership.”
The meeting comprised, among others, Bishop Willybard Kitogho Lagho of Kenya’s Malindi Diocese, who currently serves as the Chairperson of the Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism (CIRDE) at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), and the Chairman of the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), Reverend Paul Mutunga, and Ustaadh Masoud Abubakar Masoud.
The statement noted that “despite theological differences, religious leaders remain united in advancing the common good and safeguarding the well-being of the community.”
As the interfaith leaders concluded, they agreed that the Lent and Ramadhan season serves as a reminder “that shared values; compassion, discipline, charity, and devotion, transcend religious boundaries and strengthen the moral fabric of society.”
