The Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Revd Donald Allister, stood shoulder to shoulder with a Muslim Imam and the city mayor on Sunday afternoon, 12 December 2010, during a peace vigil outside Peterborough Cathedral joined by hundreds of people from all faiths and none.

The vigil, which included the reading of a Declaration of Tolerance, was a symbolic reassertion of community cohesion and a reclaiming of the city following the previous day’s demonstration in the city against Muslim extremism by the English Defence League. The candle-lit vigil included songs and readings from a variety of participants.

A week earlier city and religious leaders had signed a statement of unity in the Cathedral and then processed with it for a short distance through the shopping centre to the Town Hall where it remained on display all week for members of the public to sign.

Members of various Christian denominations, and people from the Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Ba’hai and other communities took a full part in both events.

Photo credit: Peterborough Diocese/Vivien Ruddock.

13 December 2010