Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Hindu temple as sign of friendship

Amid attacks on Christians for their faith in India, Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is set to visit a renowned Hindu temple in central England, as a gesture of friendship and peace.

The principal leader of the Church of England will visit the Shri Venkateshwara (Balaji) temple on Nov 15, in what he has described as a sign of friendship and hope.

In a Diwali message to the Hindu Community, Williams on Oct 28 expressed his hope for "reconciliation where there has been division and hurt" and for "peace and the rejection of all resort to violence".

As a sign of the "celebration of friendship and the facing of challenges with hope" Williams said, he accepted the invitation by the trustees of the Balaji temple, Europe's largest Hindu place of worship.

"Hinduism is a democratic religion without any set dogmas and people of all faiths are welcome at our temple," Kandiah Somasundara Rajah, founder and trustee of the Balaji temple, told IANS.

Williams will also inaugurate a 'Christian hill'- one of seven hills surrounding the temple appearing in a similar pattern seen in Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh.

A plaque on the hill will read: "Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself."

"This saying from the Bible crosses all religious barriers. Our intention is to build bridges across faiths. Problems should not stop us from building bridges," IANS quoted Rajah saying.

Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, House of Commons Deputy Speaker Sylvia Heal, industrialists S.P. and G.P. Hinduja among other patrons and trustees of the temple, will be those present during William's visit.

Earlier during the Kandhamal riots, Williams in a letter to the Moderator of North India, Rev Joel Mal, said: "I hope that Christians and people of faith around the world will make known their horror at this violence, their support for the rebuilding of lives and the churches, orphanages and schools destroyed, and for work towards future reconciliation."