For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a Christian chapel has been opened in an Islamic university. This is the church of St. Mary, housed in the atrium of the Agriculture University of Faisalabad. To inaugurate it, on April 15th, Msgr. Joseph Arshad, archbishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi and president of the Pakistani Episcopal Conference, formerly titular of the diocese of Faisalabad. The project was launched in 2015, at the initiative of the former vicar general of the diocese of Faisalabad. The latter has allocated 300,000 rupees (about 2,000 euros) for the construction of the site, while the faculty has assigned more than one square km of land.
As reported by asianews.it, Msgr. Joseph Arshad remarked that “The presence of a church inside the university enclosure will offer a message of love and harmony throughout the country. Christians will come here to pray for the progress and prosperity of the institute and of the country.” Msgr. Arshad thanked the administration and the government for their willingness to provide a place of worship in which the Christian minority can meet and profess their faith in freedom.
The ceremony was attended by university leaders, two priests and over 70 Christian religion workers who live on campus.
Source: www.asianews.it
