A 1,400-year-old monastery that was the first Christian site discovered in the UAE has reopened to the public.
The site on Sir Bani Yas island, about 200km west of Abu Dhabi city, has been covered by a new shelter, information boards added, lighting installed to allow night tours and new roads built to improve access.
The 7th Century monastery is located on the eastern side of the island and is believed to have been established by small community of about 30 monks. While it was open informally for many years, the site has now been made more accessible for visitors.
Parts have never been seen by the public before including an ancient dormitory that draws the curtain back on the day to day lives of monks who lived and prayed here more than a thousand years ago.
“The Sir Bani Yas church and monastery sheds light on our cultural history, one that we can be proud of,” said Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance, who opened the site on Thursday.
“Its existence is proof of the long-standing values of tolerance and acceptance in our lands.”
The monks were Nestorians — the church of the east — a branch of Christianity that stretched all the way to China. And they would be familiar to us today — praying, herding goats and living humble lives deep in contemplation.
“They burned incense, were solitary and led a life of prayer — it was fairly austere,” said Dr Richard Cuttler, archaeologist at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, who has been working at the site for more than a year. “But even we would recognise them as monks from the robes.”
The site was occupied for about 150 years and was a stop-off point for traders and travellers along established routes between east and west. There are many theories about why the church declined but the advent of Islam meant many people either converted or left. But its presence in the region shows that Islam and Christianity managed to coexist and trade peacefully for many years.
“At the beginning, there must have been remarkable reciprocal tolerance because otherwise it would not have worked,” said Paul Hinder, Catholic bishop of Southern Arabia who was at the unveiling. “But they had to coexist as there was only a small population.”
The site was first discovered in 1992. A few years later plaster crosses were found proving it was a church along with other pieces portraying vine leaves and palm trees. The crosses are now on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The site includes a nave, chapel, cooking areas, houses and a burial ground. It is also believed that a bell tower called people for prayer. Monks cooked bread and fished as the site is just a stone’s throw from the sea.
And when the end came, it is believed conversion to Islam and even an unwillingness to follow the regulations of their own church all played a role.
“There are letters between the head office in Iraq for the church of the east and they say the [monks] are not adhering to rules. They are taking wives and getting married,” said Dr Cuttler. “There is no evidence for a violent end. They just gradually integrated into local society.”
Only a few years ago a portion of the site was reburied to protect the archaeology. But now the new shelter and enhanced visitor experience will shed fresh light on the early Christians who lived in modern-day UAE.
Among the delegation who also attended the opening was Jim Burgess of the Fellowship church in the UAE and Jeramie Rinne of the Evangelical Community Church in Abu Dhabi. Both said they believed many people will not be aware that a Christian monastery was in existence on Sir Bani Yas but that message of coexistence was powerful.
“It will be a complete surprise but a pleasant surprise,” said Mr Rinne.
Mr Burgess said it sent a message that the world needed desperately. “For a time, two religions coexisted here. What a picture,” said Mr Burgess. “If only we could find that kind of understanding, communication and respect today.”
It was the late President, Sheikh Zayed, who designated Sir Bani Yas as a nature reserve. Visitors can see the fruits of this effort as gazelle and Arabian oryx roam the island. Now an ancient Christian monastery will deepen the island’s significance as a tourist destination.
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4,872 matches
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
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6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
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10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
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Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
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40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
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Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
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SEMI-FINAL
Monterrey 1
Funes Mori (14)
Liverpool 2
Keita (11), Firmino (90 1)
How Sputnik V works
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
AGUERO'S PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD
Apps: 186
Goals: 127
Assists: 31
Wins: 117
Losses: 33
