Places of Religious Significance

Name one religious building that is most associated with a world religion which you have studied

Synagogue - Judaism

Describe two examples of how the building that you have named above is used for worship

• Every Sabbath, there is a synagogue service
• The rabbi leads the prayers and gives a sermon
• The most important part of this Sabbath service is when the rabbi reads passages from the Sefer Torah at the bimah using a yad
• When a boy turns 13 and makes his Bar-Mitzvah, a special ceremony is held in the synagogue
• The boy is allowed to sit downstairs for the first time with his father
• The boy wears his prayer clothes
• He reads from the Sefer Torah in Hebrew and this is considered a great honour
• The rabbi blesses the boy as he becomes a "Son of the Lord"

Name one other place in Ireland of importance for members of a community of faith excluding Lough Derg

Croagh Patrick

Explain two reasons why the place you have named above has importance for a community of faith

• It is believed that St Patrick, Ireland's patron saint prayed and fasted here during Lent of 41CE
• Pilgrims kneel and pray where it is believed that Patrick prayed
• Mass is attended at the summit of Croagh Patrick
• The rituals of the pilgrimage are of great importance to Christians
• The rituals include the rounds of St Patrick's statue, climbing the reek, mass at the summit and the descent
• Pilgrims remember the work of St Patrick during his lifetime

Describe one example of the way in which people worship in the place you have named above

• The pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick starts at the base of the mountain beside St Patrick's statue
• Pilgrims do rounds while they pray
• As they walk around the statue 7 times, the Our Father and the Hail Mary is recited multiple times