Where do people worship?

For thousands of years, people have built places for prayer and worship. Jews build synagogues. Muslims build mosques. Christians build churches. Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs build temples.

The city of Jerusalem in Israel is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The Western Wall is sacred to Jews because it is all that is left of their ancient holy temple. Jews come from all over the world to pray there. The wall is also called the Wailing Wall because Jews go there to recall their sufferings.

Near the Western Wall stands the Dome of the Rock. This building is sacred to Muslims because it covers the spot from which they believe the Prophet Muhammad rose to heaven.

A remarkable church is the Hagia Sophia, built from 532 A.D. to 537 A.D. as a cathedral in Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey. It now serves as a museum. Inside, many walls are lined with marble and beautiful mosaics.

The centre of worship for all Muslims, or followers of Islam, is the Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In the courtyard of the Great Mosque is a small building shaped like a box, called the Kaaba. The Kaaba holds the sacred Black Stone that Muslims believe God sent from heaven.

Muslims face in the direction of the Kaaba when they pray. Hindus in India consider a river sacred. Each year, thousands of Hindus visit such cities as Varanasi and Allahabad to bathe in the River Ganges and take home some of its water. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges cleanses the body and spirit.

A world centre for Roman Catholic A people is Vatican City, which is located in Rome, Italy. Saint Peter’s Basilica, also called St. Peter’s Church, is there. It’s beautiful dome was designed by the great Italian artist Michelangelo.

The outside of the pyramid shaped Angkor Wat in Cambodia has richly carved sandstone and sculptured columns. The temple was built in the 1100’s to honour the Hindu god Vishnu.

 

Picture Credit : Google