As a perfect gesture of communal harmony, a church in Barcelona opened its doors for Muslims breaking their fast during the holy time of Ramadan. As the country prohibited gatherings at indoor venues, the Catholic church offered its open-air spaces for Muslims to eat and pray together.
Every evening around 50 to 60 people, many of them homeless, visited the centuries-old stone passages of the Santa Anna church, where volunteers offered a hearty iftar meal for free. The volunteers cooked fresh meals, usually consisting of harira, which is a traditional soup from Morocco, that has meat, lentils, chickpeas, celery, parsley, coriander, tomato, onion and spices. Father Peio Sanchez, Santa Anna’s rector, who allowed the church premises to be used, sees the meeting of different faiths as emblematic of civic coexistence.
“Even with different cultures, different languages, different religions, we are more capable of sitting talking than some politicians,” the Catholic priest said.
