In the multi-religious temple that is the Olympic village, a Catholic priest, an Anglican reverend and a practicing Muslim experience a religious function together
Christofer Jamison an athletic sixty year old cleric celebrates the first part. Susan Blackall, an elderly female priest and Yussef, 40, a soldier in uniform follow him in a sort of relay of faith.
Looking at them holding hands in the little prayer room of the Olympic media village, they seem like three old neo-catechumenal friends: then when you get closer and you realise one of the is a Catholic monsignor, another is an Anglican reverend and a practicing Muslim who are experiencing a religious function together.
This is the miracle of the Olympics, thanks to which all religions get to stand up on the podium: Anglicans, Catholics, Muslims, Jews and Baptists alike.
Everyone catches the Olympic spirit, even on the pulpit of prayers. Priests, rabbis, imams and reverends unite and work side by side in the Multi-Faith Room, a temple with rooms for the five main faiths.
There is a sign reading "All are welcome" at the entrance of a little room situated close to the grounds where athletes will be competing but in a corner away from all the noise and glitz of the Games. The walls of this silent room are painted white and there are no religious symbols around. On the table are copies of the sacred scriptures of the various religions which give away the spirit of the initiative.
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