Ashura day (Noah's pudding day) is fast-day among many people of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern lands that is observed on the tenth day of the month Muharram, and derived from the Jewish Day of Atonement, celebrated on the tenth of Tishri (Lev. xvi. 29, xxiii. 27).

It was thousands of years ago, a thousand years after Adam. The Great Creator, because of His All-Compassion to them all and to all humanity, sent Noah.

 Noah asked his people for 950 years to leave paganism, called them to the true way, the truth, believing in one God. But people teased him and called him crazy. Later his wife joined the pagans in their betrayal. Noah suffered with his people for 800 years.

 One day God sent the Angel Gabriel to order Noah to build a ship. Inspired by God, Noah built the ship. God ordered him to take two of every creature, the believers, and his family, except his wife, in the vessel.

Noah again told people about the flood, and warned them against it. But their response remained same. The believers and animals boarded the ship and supplies were loaded. As all nonbelievers were drowning with their all vices, a long and hard journey was awaiting Noah and the believers, a long, tumultuous journey.

Days had passed, and food was scarce. They were facing starvation. No food by itself was enough to make a good meal. Noah gathered all the foods and, mixing them, obtained a delicious meal. Believers survived through famine. The very next day, flood receded. Today we call the sweet Noah prepared “Noah’s Pudding”.

Celebration at St. Martin's parish

QIS Ladies Group organized the day with Margaret Naylon from  Ecumenism & Inter-religious Relations, Faith & Life Vicariate
organized the event where hundreds of people at St.Martin's church; Catholics and Muslims attended the Sunday sermon and then shared the sweet Ashura pudding afterwards.

Emriye Yildiz from QIS shared the story of Ashura with church folk explaining what Ashura and the tradition is about. Mustafa Ally, president of Crescents of Brisbane Inc also attended the event and shared his interfaith experiences at Roma-Istanbul pilgrimage he had attended last year with Catholic and Muslim VIPs.

One has responsibility of maintaining good relations with their neighbors regardless of what their religion or beliefs may be and Catholics and Muslims of Queensland showed they are handling that responsibility very well.

Thanks

We would like to thank very warmly Ms.Margaret Naylon from Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations, Ministry and Community Life Team of Faith and Life Vicariate and Father Ian Frankling for their efforts in organizing this glorious day and we would like to thank Mr. Mustafa Ally, president of CCN and fellow worshippers who shared our father and prophet Noah’s pudding with us.