A church in Berlin opened its doors to Muslim worshippers unable to fit into their mosque under new social distancing rules.
They were seen filing into the church, wearing face masks and maintaining social distance in adherence to one of the guidelines of avoiding the coronavirus pandemic.
Germany allowed religious services to resume on 4 May but worshippers must maintain a distance of 1.5m (5ft).
As a result the Dar Assalam mosque in the city’s Neukölln district could only hold a fraction of its congregation.
But the Martha Lutheran Church in Kreuzberg offered to help by hosting Friday prayers at the end of Ramadan.
Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk.
Normally families and friends would gather to break their fast and attend communal prayers, but in Berlin – as in countries across the world – this year’s celebrations have been affected.
The Muslim community was grateful to the Christians for allowing them to have access to the Ramadan prayers at once and relieving them of the stress of holding prayers in batches of 50 people which the mosque can accommodate at once based on the guidelines.
“It is a great sign and it brings joy in Ramadan and joy amid this crisis,” the mosque’s imam told Reuters news agency.
“This pandemic has made us a community. Crises bring people get together.”
“It was a strange feeling because of the musical instruments, the pictures,” congregation member Samer Hamdoun said, noting the contrast to Islamic worship.
“But when you look, when you forget the small details. This is the house of God in the end.”
The church’s pastor, Monika Matthias, said the partnership was a community decision “to do the best in terms of coronavirus.”
“This has brought us closer. Whether this partnership will go on and how it will go on, that is still open, but I think getting to know each other and what we have experienced together in this time is strengthening for whatever may lie ahead,” she said.
She also said she took part in the service.
“I gave a speech in German. And during prayer, I could only say yes, yes, yes, because we have the same concerns and we want to learn from you. And it is beautiful to feel that way about each other.”
