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ON RELIGION

Advent season
begins tomorrow
with music

Two Honolulu churches will have
free special choral presentations

Ramadan marked

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Star-Bulletin staff

The season of Advent, in which Christians anticipate the birth of Christ with special liturgies and programs, will begin tomorrow.

A chance to get in the mood by singing along with the choir brings people back each year to the St. Andrew's Cathedral carol concert. The free program will begin at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the downtown church.

The repertoire will range from seventh-century plainsong to compositions by Bach, Handel and Mendelssohn, to modern music. The program is free and open to the public.

The Lutheran Church of Honolulu will be the setting of another Advent musical event. Music, readings and textile art will fill the Makiki church at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.

The choir will present "The Great O Antiphons" with music from Renaissance to contemporary composers.

The performance is open to the public, with donations to benefit the Love Compels Action hunger program of the Evangelical Church in America.

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Isle Muslims marking
month of Ramadan

In the midst of the feasting that December holidays generate, Hawaii Muslims have begun a month of fasting from all food, drink and other sensual pleasures during daylight hours.

Monday was the first day of Ramadan, a 30-day period of abstinence decreed in the Islamic Scriptures, the Koran. It is one of the Five Pillars of the religion, which has several hundred members in Hawaii and about 6 million in the United States.

There are no special services until the final night, Eid-ul-Fitr, when communal prayers will be followed by a potluck meal. Local Muslims gather for sunset prayers nightly at the Islamic Center in Manoa.