People of different faiths around Manchester are mourning the passing of The Queen as the nation woke up to the first day without her on the throne in over 70 years.
Following the sad announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, John Arnold, Bishop of Salford issued a statement, saying: "We pray for the repose of the soul of Queen Elizabeth II.
"We give thanks for her years of unquestioned service and dedication to our country. She has been a permanent person of unity for our nation. An abiding presence, who stood above the daily politics, giving a sense of calm presence in the leadership of our nation, even in the most turbulent of times.
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"We pray for the Royal Family as they grieve the loss of a dear mother, grandmother and great grandmother. May they take comfort in her Christian Faith as we commend her to God. We will remember in our prayers and in the celebration of Mass. May she rest in peace."
On hearing the news, The Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker said: "Through 96 years of life, and over 70 years of faithful service as monarch, the life of Her Majesty the Queen has been a constant example, not only to her people, here in Britain and across the Commonwealth, but to the wider world.
"From wartime teenager to recent widow, she has shown both resilience in adversity, and unremitting determination to face the most challenging times alongside her people. We who have seen and paid attention to her example, have been better people for it.
"Many, many lives have been deeply enriched, simply by her presence at some special occasion. I recall vividly her visit to our cathedral last summer, to celebrate our 600th anniversary and to meet, and personally thank, representatives of the many volunteers from across the region who had played vital parts during lockdown.
For Christians, her life has been a particular embodiment of our faith. An embodiment she felt able to express with ever greater prominence in more recent years, most especially in her annual Christmas Broadcasts. For those of us who are Anglicans, her constitutional role in our Church has stood as a bulwark against excessive clericalism. Yet she has always been a Queen for those of all faiths or none.
"Her relationships with her diocesan bishops have meant far more than simply the formalities of issuing mandates for appointment and receiving homage," the Bishopt said. "The private conversations we have held with her, together with her hospitality at Sandringham, have allowed us a glimpse into the more private side of her public figure, establishing beyond doubt that the smile so often on her face on public occasions was backed up by a vibrant and undimmed sense of humour.
"Each of us will have our own private memories and thoughts at this time. These next few days will allow us to reflect and draw strength from them, both individually and together. Indeed, one of the greatest tributes we can pay to her life will be to allow this time to make us stronger and more united as a people, relishing the richness of our diversity even as she did. May God bless us, and God save the King."
Councillor Rabbi Arnie Saunders, former Rabbi of the Higher Crumpsall and Higher Broughton Synagogue, says the Jewish community are very loyal to The Queen and are in shock at the news. He said a period of mourning will now follow.
He said: "The Jewish Community are very loyal to The Queen. We pray for the welfare of The Queen every Sabbath. We pray for the welfare of the state and the monarchy, particularly the Queen and we have been doing for 70 years. The chief Rabbi now has a new prayer referring to King Charles instead of Elizabeth."
Rabbi Saunders, who is a conservative councillor of Kearsal and Broughton Park ward of Salford City Council, added of the Jewish community: "They are in mourning and shock like everyone else. They will say special prayers in the synagogues, they will be cutting down on events and I imagine there will be a memorial service."
He said of his own feelings: "I was deeply saddened by the sad news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a truly inspirational figure who gave 70 years of devoted service to the country and to the commonwealth to her very last day. As we say in the synagogue, may her dear soul be bound in the bond of eternal life. Long Live The King."
President of the Sikh Temple on Upper Chorlton Road, Whalley Range, Luckenpal Sathi, praised The Queen for "Bringing lots of different faiths together." He said: "She was an exceptional lady who brought lots of different faiths together. She understood humanity. She was respected throughout the world. It's been a tragedy, she was an ambassador for 70 years.
"We are going to have a memorial, we will say prayers on the day of the funeral. We will have a coffee and tea morning at the temple for everyone in the community who wants to come through."
Hindus too are mourning the passing of The Queen and will be gathering to pray for her soul. The priest of Gita Bhavan Hindu Temple, Acharya Shyam Sunder said: "As Hindus we believe that the soul never dies and as a community we will be having a shaanti - a gathering of people to pray for the peace of the soul for Her Majesty The Queen. I am really grateful for everything Her Majesty did for the Hindu Community and we are all very sad to hear of the news of her passing."
Muslim Tracey Pook, engagement co-ordinator for Didsbury Mosque said The Queen will be remembered in prayer in the Muslim community, where she was well respected. She said: "Her Majesty will be acknowledged during a prayer. She was after all the leader of our country and for that we have the utmost respect for the position that she has."
A statement issued on behalf of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board said: "British Muslims share the nation's grief as we mourn the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I. We send our deepest sympathies to His Majesty King Charles Ill, members of the Royal family, the nation and the Commonwealth.
The Queen lived an extraordinary life of public service, duty, and dedication. As Britain's longest reigning monarch, HM The Queen witnessed a remarkable transformation in the religious and ethnic composition of the UK. The Queen remain committed to building communities; she encouraged religious harmony and friendship across the many different faith communities in the UK. She displayed an unwavering desire to acknowledge the contribution made by minority faiths, and to celebrate diversity in the UK and the Commonwealth.
Queen Elizabeth Il shared a dignified relationship with Muslims across the world. As Head of the Commonwealth, the Queen served the commonwealth nations which comprise of six Muslim-majority counties and other countries with large Muslim minorities.
During times of enormous social and political change, grace, integrity and a profound sense of duty were the hallmarks of the Queen and inspired confidence, strength and unity in our country and beyond. Most recently during the difficult period faced by many during the pandemic, her wise reminder that we would all "meet again" were a source of much hope and comfort to many.
The Queen's passing marks the end of an era. We take great comfort in the knowledge that King Charles IlI, whose own long-standing commitment to protecting the interests of all faiths are well known, will continue his remarkable mother's legacy for many years to come."
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