On Tuesday, Feb. 8, the faith traditions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism will come together to share and celebrate their differences at Saint Louis University’s 10th Annual Interfaith Service.

The service of reflection, music and dance will take place at 12:15 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier College Church and will be followed by a free luncheon in the ballroom of the church.

Classes will be canceled from 12:15 to 2 p.m. so that all students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to attend.

The theme for this year’s service is “A Time of Hope.” It will open with the “Sounding of the Shofer” by Rabbi Hyim Shapner. A shofer is a ram’s horn and an ancient Jewish sign of hope. It was traditionally used as a call to worship.

Students from each faith tradition will deliver a short reading from an important scripture or writing from their faiths.

Each of the services’ participants will be introduced by a friend of a different faith tradition in order to illustrate how friendship and cooperation can unite and transcend differences.

Carol Boerding, campus minister and chairperson for the interfaith committee, said that the service offers students a special opportunity to share their faiths with one another and members of the entire community.

“Part of our Jesuit mission is to be men and women for others,” Boerding said.

“We can’t do that if we don’t respect one another . We must come together to see what moves others and what their value systems are.”

Sophomore Puja Natesan will be performing an Indian dance as part of the service.

Natesan has a unique faith history as her parents are Hindu, and she is a Christian.

“I wanted to participate because I think that at a Catholic university, [the service] is important because it makes everyone feel welcome,” explained Natesan. “It makes everyone unite.”

Another purpose of the Interfaith Service is “to open” the spring semester of worship, just as the Mass of Holy Spirit opens the fall semester.

John Renard, a professor in the theological studies department, said that the service holds a significant meaning.

“The service has become an important symbolic beginning of the semester in that it adds an opportunity for awareness of a diversity of faith traditions that our students and faculty come from,” Renard said.

Renard added that the service always has a “prayerful and reflective setting. It gives a sense of common purpose.”

The Interfaith service is sponsored by the Ministry and Mission office.