News
TRH attend a church service and meet members of the Christian community in Doha, Qatar
23rd February 2007
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended a church service in Qatar today and met members of the church community in Doha, the capital city.
Their Royal Highnesses joined the congregation in a school sports hall for the Friday morning worship, held on the holy day of the Muslim week.
The Prince and The Duchess, who are midway through a ten-day tour of the Gulf, were recognised in the prayers of more than 100 worshippers who packed the gym of the Doha English Speaking School.
The Rev Dr Judith Thomas, originally from Neath in South Wales, told the congregation: "We give thanks to Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
"May their visit to this country and neighbouring ones be successful in bringing increased understanding among people.
"Protect and care for them that they may know the peace that passes all understanding."
The Church of the Epiphany's services have been at the school, based in the capital Doha, for more than 20 years because there is no Anglican church in the Gulf state.
But the Qatari government has donated land for a place of worship to be built.
Work is scheduled to start next month and when it is complete the church will be one of the first Christian buildings in Qatar since the 7th century, when Islam arrived in the region.
The Prince and Duchess sat on small plastic chairs in the makeshift church, which had basketball hoops at each end and a climbing frame folded against the wall behind the altar.
Many of the congregation wore suits or summer dresses and were led by a pianist during the traditional hymns, which included Guide me O Thou great Jehovah and Now thank we all our God.
Their Royal Highnesses sat at the front and listened intently as Dr Ian Young, the Archdeacon for the Gulf, led the service and gave a sermon about the start of Lent.
After the worship he said: "It was wonderful to have them here with us and wonderful for the multicultural congregation that The Prince and The Duchess could attend."