Hawzah News Agency – “This year the holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Christian observance of Lent, while Eid al-Fitr coincides with Christian celebrations of Easter,” he wrote. “In this conjunction we, as a worldwide fellowship of Christian churches, feel a special bond with our Muslim sisters and brothers.”

In both traditions, a season of prayer, rigorous penitence and self-examination culminates in a prayerful dawn and a feast of joyous celebration.

“May our prayerful self-reflection ground a sturdy and unflagging hope. Indeed, as we Christians find much to admire in your devotion, so too we find much to celebrate in our shared faith in God and the hope it engenders,” he wrote. “For rarely have both penitence and unwavering hope been needed as much as they are today, when we are all experiencing grief and sadness over the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the unleashing of violence and wars, and the alarming threats to our planet.”

The following is the full text of Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca's letter:

Greetings to all Muslims at Ramadan and Eid al-FItr

To all our Muslim sisters and brothers around the world, and on behalf of our worldwide fellowship of Christian churches, I offer our heartfelt greetings and fervent prayer for the last days of your observance of Ramadan and your celebration on 2 May of Eid al-Fitr. This year the holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Christian observance of Lent, while Eid alFitr coincides with Christian celebrations of Easter. In this conjunction we, as a worldwide fellowship of Christian churches, feel a special bond with our Muslim sisters and brothers. In both traditions, a season of prayer, rigorous penitence and self-examination culminates in a prayerful dawn and a feast of joyous celebration. We honour the faithful around the world who have been fasting, as has been practiced for so many generations and as exhorted in the Qu’ran, “so that you may be God conscious” (Sūratul Baqarah, No.2, Āyat 183). May our prayerful self-reflection ground a sturdy and unflagging hope. Indeed, as we Christians find much to admire in your devotion, so too we find much to celebrate in our shared faith in God and the hope it engenders. For rarely have both penitence and unwavering hope been needed as much as they are today, when we are all experiencing grief and sadness over the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the unleashing of violence and wars, and the alarming threats to our planet. In this light, we are encouraged by our many and ongoing Christian-Muslim cooperative efforts and dialogues, most especially our interreligious peacemaking centre in Kaduna, Nigeria, and our participation in initiatives pursuant to the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” the joint statement signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. And so, in that spirit of hope and cooperation for the sake of all humanity, I say to all Muslims now finishing their Ramadan season and anticipating celebrations of Eid al-Fitr 1443 H: Eid Mubarak! Eid Mubarak! Happy Eid-al Fitr!

Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca

Acting General Secretary