Religion in Birmingham
Encyclopedia
Modern-day Birmingham's cultural diversity is reflected in the wide variety of religious beliefs of its citizens. 79.2% of residents identified themselves as belonging to a particular faith
in the 2001 Census
, while 12.4% stated they had no religion and a further 8.4% did not answer the question.
settlements in the immediate area of modern-day Birmingham, there was a fort, Metchley Fort
near the site of the University of Birmingham
, and Icknield Street
runs via this site through the western suburbs of the city. The Romano-British
population undoubtedly worshipped at pagan
temples such as that excavated at Coleshill
a few miles outside the modern city boundary, which was possibly dedicated to Minerva
or Mars
http://www.arch-ant.bham.ac.uk/wmrrfa/seminar3/Iain%20Ferris.doc, and that identified at Letocetum
where Icknield Street crosses Watling Street
between Birmingham and Lichfield
, also apparently dedicated to Minerva http://www.roman-britain.org/places/letocetum.htm.
In the later years of the Roman period, Christianity
arrived in the area, although there is little evidence of Christian worship in the immediate Birmingham area at this time. However, when Anglo-Saxon
tribes conquered what was to become England in the 5th century, they brought their pagan beliefs with them. Again there is little firm evidence for Anglo-Saxon worship in the area - perhaps because the Anglo-Saxons worshipped in sacred places outdoors rather than in buildings.
, the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom in which Birmingham was situated, remained pagan for some decades after Saint Augustine
had begun the conversion of England. However, under King Penda of Mercia
, himself a pagan, Christian missionaries
from Lindisfarne
were allowed to preach in the kingdom (around 653) and following Penda's death, the rulers of Mercia became Christian and a Diocese of Mercia was created in 656. Part of this became the Diocese of Lichfield
in 669 under Saint Chad
. (Chad's relic
s were enshrined at Lichfield Cathedral
until the Reformation
after which they were kept in hiding until they were transferred to the new Catholic cathedral in Birmingham in 1841 http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/cn/96/960614b.htm).
church, St Martin in the Bull Ring
, has been the site of a church since at least the 12th century, though the earliest parts of the present building date back only to around 1290. Within the modern city boundary, there are a number of other churches which date from the medieval period (although many, like St Martin's, were substantially rebuilt in the 19th century). They represent the original medieval parishes of the area, which were much larger than the modern parishes of the densely populated city.
In the medieval Diocese of Lichfield
could be found
In the Diocese of Worcester
.
In addition to these parish churches, there was St John's chapel of ease
at Deritend
founded in 1381 (demolished by 1961), which, though only a short stroll from St Martin's, was in the parish of Aston. Householders in Deritend and Bordesley
had the unusual right to elect their own chaplain - a right they continued to enjoy until 1890 when a specific act of parliament
was required to regularise the situation http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/expats/pastpres/tm_objectid=14095950&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=why-trouble-brews-in-old-deritend-name_page.html.
The other main religious organisations in medieval Birmingham were a priory
founded in the early 13th century known as the Priory of St Thomas of Canterbury
in the area of today's Priory Queensway, and the Guild of the Holy Cross
established in 1392, whose guildhall was on New Street
.
, a smaller percentage than the England and Wales
average of 71.8%.
of the Anglican Diocese of Birmingham which has its cathedral
at St. Philip's
.
of the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Birmingham
which has its cathedral at St. Chad's
.
Following the Reformation, Catholicism was effectively outlawed in England
, though there remained a number of recusants throughout this period. Several masshouse
s were established in the district in the 17th century, notably at Oscott
around 1679 and in Birmingham
itself on what is now called Masshouse Queensway in 1687, although this chapel was burnt down by an anti-Catholic mob
the following year. After the process of Catholic Emancipation
began in 1778, a Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter
was built on Broad Street
in 1786 and Oscott College
was founded as a seminary
in 1794.
When St. Chad's was begun in 1841 to a design by Augustus Pugin
, it became the first Catholic cathedral in England since the Reformation. In the same period, Oscott College moved to a new building, also partly designed by Pugin, at New Oscott
, and John Henry Newman, probably the most significant Catholic figure associated with Birmingham, founded the Birmingham Oratory
which moved to its present site in Edgbaston in 1852, and its associated Oratory School
(1859). When the Catholic hierarchy was restored in 1850, Birmingham was made a diocese
and the Catholic population of the town and surrounding district continued to grow throughout this period with a number of churches and religious houses being established.
The growth in Catholic numbers in the 19th Century was fuelled partly by Irish immigration
, and a mix of anti-popery and xenophobia
led to some confrontations in the town, notably the Murphy Riots of 1867. However, there was relatively little strife and Catholics in Birmingham began to be accepted by the establishment of the town. Birmingham became an archdiocese in 1911, and the Catholic population continued to grow along with the city, helped by further waves of immigration, primarily from Ireland, though Polish, Italian
, Ukraininan
and Vietnamese
immigrants have all added to the diversity of the Catholic population.
Today the number of Catholics in the archdiocese (which extends beyond Birmingham to take in the rest of the West Midlands
, Warwickshire
, Worcestershire
, Staffordshire
and Oxfordshire
) has begun to fall from a peak circa 1980. Nonetheless, Catholicism continues to play a significant role in the religious life of Birmingham, not least through the large number of voluntary aided
primary and secondary school
s in the city and Newman University College
in Bartley Green
which trains Catholic teachers.
(Fener, Istanbul
), via the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
(based in Craven Hill, London
).
The Church of The Holy Trinity and St Luke is a Greek Orthodox church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople
(Fener, Istanbul
), via the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
.
There is a Serbian Orthodox
church in Bournville
, one of the few purpose-built Orthodox churches in the United Kingdom. It is dedicated to the Holy Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo
in 1389.
St. Mary & St. Mark's Coptic Centre, St. Mary & St. Antony's Church and the yet to be constructed cathedral of St. Mary & Archangel Michael are located in the suburbs of Birmingham
under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands which is led by His Grace Bishop Missael
. The first Coptic Orthodox Church in Birmingham
was St. Mary & St. Antony's which was established in 1985. The city of Birmingham
is also where the Diocese is headquartered (at St. Mary & St. Mark's Coptic Centre where His Grace Bishop Missael
resides).
, affiliated to the British Humanist Association
.
The existence of a Hebrew streetname in the surviving 1344-5 Borough Rentals may indicate the presence of a Jewish community in Birmingham in the 13th century – a period of significant economic growth for the expanding market town. Such a community would however not have survived the Edict of Expulsion
of 1290.
Birmingham's developing industry attracted Jewish settlers as early as 1730 and there was already a synagogue
in a private house in the area of today's New Street Station
in 1791, when a purpose-built synagogue was constructed in Hurst Street. The Singers Hill Synagogue
in Blucher Street, a Grade II* listed building which is still used for worship today, was built in 1856 http://www.singershill.com/index.html.
The Jewish population of the city grew in the late 19th century (from 730 in 1851 to 2,360 in 1871) with the influx of Jews from Eastern Europe which led to the founding of two further Orthodox
synagogues. In the interwar period
, a vibrant Jewish community existed in the area around Holloway Head in the city centre and Jews also settled in the Edgbaston
and Moseley
areas. This period also saw the founding of the city's Liberal
synagogue in Sheepcote Street.
Redevelopment
of the Holloway Head area after World War II
and a general trend of movement to the suburb
s led to Birmingham's Jews becoming more thinly spread across the city. In the same period, however, a voluntary aided school
named after King David
was established in Moseley, a successor to the city's previous Hebrew school which dated back to the mid-19th century. In recent years, the community has declined in number from around 6,000 in the 1930s to 2,343 in 2001. A number of Jewish families have emigrated to Israel
and others are believed to have moved to the larger communities in London
and Manchester
.
. This is significantly higher than the average for England
and Wales
of 3.0%.
The Muslim community in Birmingham is considered one of the most diverse after London
with a wide spectrum of people originally from Africa
, Eastern Europe
, Southern Europe
, Western Asia and other Asia
n countries. Although the earliest Muslims to arrive in Birmingham and England generally are said to have been from Yemen
and the regions of South Asia
now known as Bangladesh
, it is the Kashmiri
community from Mirpur in Pakistan
who form the largest group of migrated Muslims. The majority of the Muslims in Birmingham continue to be born abroad as more and more migrants arrive into the city although the number of British
-born Muslims and those who convert
to the faith are said to be near 50% of the total Muslim population. More recent Muslim settlers hail from Somalia
, Kosovo
and Algeria
and neighbouring nations.
The first mosque
in Birmingham
was the conversion of a terraced house in Balsall Heath
but later a grand project was undertaken by Muslims with the development of the Birmingham Central Mosque
in Belgrave Middleway, Highgate
, which was conceived in the 1960s and then opened in 1975 to great acclaim as the largest mosque in Western Europe
and has since cemented its role as one of Britain's largest and most prominent Islamic centres.
There are currently just over 200 mosques in the city, including purpose built places of worship, converted warehouses, Churches and cinemas as well as former homes, schools and centres. The other prominent mosques and Islamic centres in the city include the Central Jamia Masjid Ghamkol Sharif (located on Poet's Corner in Golden Hillock Road, Sparkhill
), Jami Masjid & Islamic Centre in Coventry Road COVENTRY ROAD MOSQUE, Green Lane Mosque
(a former grand library and now modern refurbished Islamic centre and mosque in Green Lane, Small Heath
) which is the headquarters of Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK and the 'Amaanah' or Bordesley
Centre in Camp Hill
run by the Muath Welfare Trust and recently renovated with a generous government grant to continue to provide educational and spiritual services to the large citywide Muslim community. The Bordelsey Centre was established by the city's Yemeni
community.
Birmingham is home to numerous Islamic schools and has a rich array of Muslim bookstores and libraries including the exhibition centres of the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI), one of the country's longest running Islamic da'wah (or propagation) organisations. The city also has a Shariah Council run by the Birmingham Mosque Trust
.
(see also Islam in the United Kingdom
)
According to the 2001 census, 1.0% of Birmingham residents identify themselves as Hindu
, The average figure in England and Wales 0.9%.
Hindus mainly originate from the Punjab
and Gujarat regions of India as well as other regions and countries such as Sri Lanka
and Mauritius
. Many also came from East Africa
.
The first temple in the West Midlands, the Shree Geeta Bhawan
temple is located in the Handsworth
area of the city on Heathfield Road. Furthermore, one of the largest mandirs in Europe
, the Tividale Tirupathy Balaji Temple is located just outside the city in Tividale
in the borough of Sandwell
.
There are concentrations of Hindus in the Handsworth and Sparkhill sections of the city.
1.4% of the population of Birmingham identify themselves as Sikh
. The average figure for England and Wales is 0.6%.
The Sikh presence in Birmingham is largely due to immigration in the 1950s and 1960s, although there were Sikhs living in the city before and during World War II. The main organisation for Sikhism in Birmingham is the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras in Birmingham founded in 1989 which represents the city's gurdwara
s.
One of the most prominent Sikh events in Birmingham is the annual celebration of Vaisakhi
in Handsworth
, where many of the city's Sikhs live. The celebrations in 1999 marking the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa
were the largest Vaisakhi celebrations outside of the Punjab.
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, while 12.4% stated they had no religion and a further 8.4% did not answer the question.
Before Christianity
Although there were no large RomanNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
settlements in the immediate area of modern-day Birmingham, there was a fort, Metchley Fort
Metchley Fort
Metchley Fort was a Roman fort in what is now Birmingham, England.It lies on the course of a Roman road, Icknield Street, which is now the site of the present Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the University of Birmingham in Edgbaston. The fort was constructed soon after the Roman invasion of Britain in...
near the site of the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, and Icknield Street
Icknield Street
Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from the Fosse Way at Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire to Templeborough in South Yorkshire...
runs via this site through the western suburbs of the city. The Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
population undoubtedly worshipped at pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
temples such as that excavated at Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
a few miles outside the modern city boundary, which was possibly dedicated to Minerva
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
or Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
http://www.arch-ant.bham.ac.uk/wmrrfa/seminar3/Iain%20Ferris.doc, and that identified at Letocetum
Letocetum
Letocetum is the remains of a Roman settlement. It was an important military staging post and posting station near the junction of Watling Street, the Roman military road to North Wales , and Icknield Street . The site is now within the parish of Wall, Staffordshire, England...
where Icknield Street crosses Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
between Birmingham and Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, also apparently dedicated to Minerva http://www.roman-britain.org/places/letocetum.htm.
In the later years of the Roman period, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
arrived in the area, although there is little evidence of Christian worship in the immediate Birmingham area at this time. However, when Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
tribes conquered what was to become England in the 5th century, they brought their pagan beliefs with them. Again there is little firm evidence for Anglo-Saxon worship in the area - perhaps because the Anglo-Saxons worshipped in sacred places outdoors rather than in buildings.
The Conversion of Mercia
MerciaMercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom in which Birmingham was situated, remained pagan for some decades after Saint Augustine
Augustine of Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597...
had begun the conversion of England. However, under King Penda of Mercia
Penda of Mercia
Penda was a 7th-century King of Mercia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is today the English Midlands. A pagan at a time when Christianity was taking hold in many of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Penda took over the Severn Valley in 628 following the Battle of Cirencester before participating in the...
, himself a pagan, Christian missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
from Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
were allowed to preach in the kingdom (around 653) and following Penda's death, the rulers of Mercia became Christian and a Diocese of Mercia was created in 656. Part of this became the Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
in 669 under Saint Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
. (Chad's relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s were enshrined at Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
until the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
after which they were kept in hiding until they were transferred to the new Catholic cathedral in Birmingham in 1841 http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/cn/96/960614b.htm).
The Medieval Church
Birmingham's original parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church, St Martin in the Bull Ring
St Martin in the Bull Ring
The church of St Martin in the Bull Ring in Birmingham 5, England is a parish church in the Church of England.-Background:It is the original parish church of Birmingham. It stands between the Bull Ring shopping centre and the markets. The church is a Grade II* listed building. The current Rector...
, has been the site of a church since at least the 12th century, though the earliest parts of the present building date back only to around 1290. Within the modern city boundary, there are a number of other churches which date from the medieval period (although many, like St Martin's, were substantially rebuilt in the 19th century). They represent the original medieval parishes of the area, which were much larger than the modern parishes of the densely populated city.
In the medieval Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
could be found
- Church of Saints Peter and Paul, AstonChurch of Saints Peter and Paul, AstonThe Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul in Witton Lane, Aston, Birmingham, England is a parish church in the Church of England.-Background:Aston and Northfield are the only churches within the City of Birmingham mentioned in Domesday Book...
in AstonAstonAston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:... - St Bartholomew's Church, EdgbastonSt Bartholomew's Church, EdgbastonSt Bartholomew's Church, Edgbaston, also known as Edgbaston Old Church, is a parish church in the Church of England in Edgbaston, Birmingham.-History:...
- St. Mary's Church, HandsworthSt. Mary's Church, HandsworthSt. Mary's Church, Handsworth, also known as Handsworth Old Church, is an Anglican church in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. Its ten-acre grounds are contiguous with Handsworth Park and it is just off the Birmingham Outer Circle and south of a cutting housing the site of the former Handsworth...
- St. Peter's Church, HarborneSt. Peter's Church, Harborne-Background:There has been a church on the site since Saxon times and St Chad is even thought to have preached there. The base of an early preaching cross was found in the mid-1980s during work at the back of the church...
- St Giles' in SheldonSheldon, West MidlandsSheldon is an area of eastern Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. It is close to the border with the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull and Birmingham International Airport....
- Holy Trinity in Sutton ColdfieldSutton ColdfieldSutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
In the Diocese of Worcester
Anglican Diocese of Worcester
The Diocese of Worcester forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese was founded in around 679 by St Theodore of Canterbury at Worcester to minister to the kingdom of the Hwicce, one of the many Anglo Saxon petty-kingdoms of that time...
.
- St. Laurence's Church, NorthfieldSt. Laurence's Church, NorthfieldSt. Laurence's Church, Northfield is a parish church in the Church of England in Northfield, Birmingham.-History:The Grade I listed church dates from the 12th century and contains some of the finest Early English work in the county...
- St. Nicolas' Church, Kings NortonSt. Nicolas' Church, Kings NortonSt Nicolas's Church, Kings Norton is the Anglican parish church of Kings Norton, in the Diocese of Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom.-History:...
- St Edburgha's Church, YardleySt Edburgha's Church, YardleySt Edburgha's Church is a parish church in the Yardley area of Birmingham, England. It is a Grade I listed building and a part of the Old Yardley conservation area.-History:...
In addition to these parish churches, there was St John's chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
at Deritend
Deritend
Deritend is an historic area of Birmingham, England, built around a crossing point of the River Rea. It is first mentioned in 1276. Today Deritend is usually considered to be part of Digbeth.-History:...
founded in 1381 (demolished by 1961), which, though only a short stroll from St Martin's, was in the parish of Aston. Householders in Deritend and Bordesley
Bordesley, West Midlands
Bordesley is an area of Birmingham, England and is part of the City's Nechells Ward.It is served by Bordesley railway station.It should not be confused with nearby Bordesley Green.-Notable residents :...
had the unusual right to elect their own chaplain - a right they continued to enjoy until 1890 when a specific act of parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
was required to regularise the situation http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/expats/pastpres/tm_objectid=14095950&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=why-trouble-brews-in-old-deritend-name_page.html.
The other main religious organisations in medieval Birmingham were a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
founded in the early 13th century known as the Priory of St Thomas of Canterbury
Priory of St Thomas of Canterbury, Birmingham
The Priory or Hospital of St Thomas of Canterbury was a house of Augustinian canons in medieval Birmingham. The institution is referred to in sources as either a priory or a hospital, but the two roles were often overlapping or interchangeable during the medieval period, as all monastic...
in the area of today's Priory Queensway, and the Guild of the Holy Cross
Guild of the Holy Cross
The Guild or Gild of the Holy Cross was a medieval religious guild in Birmingham, England. It was founded in 1392 by three burgesses of the town - John Coleshill, John Goldsmith and William atte Slowe - in place of an attempt to found a chantry in the parish church of St Martin in the Bull Ring,...
established in 1392, whose guildhall was on New Street
New Street, Birmingham
New Street is a street in central Birmingham, England . It is one of the city's principal thoroughfares and shopping streets. Named after it is Birmingham New Street Station, although that does not have an entrance on New Street except through the Pallasades Shopping Centre.-History:New Street is...
.
Christianity
According to the 2001 Census, 59.1% of Birmingham's residents identify themselves as ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, a smaller percentage than the England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
average of 71.8%.
Anglicanism
Birmingham is the seeEpiscopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Anglican Diocese of Birmingham which has its cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
at St. Philip's
St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham
The Cathedral Church of Saint Philip is the Church of England cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Birmingham. Built as a parish church and consecrated in 1715, St Philip's became the cathedral of the newly formed Diocese of Birmingham in the West Midlands in 1905...
.
Catholicism
Birmingham is the seeEpiscopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Archdiocese of Birmingham
Archdiocese of Birmingham
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham is one of the principal Latin-rite Catholic administrative divisions of England and Wales in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church....
which has its cathedral at St. Chad's
Saint Chad's Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral Church and Basilica of Saint Chad is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and province of the Catholic Church in Great Britain and is dedicated to Saint Chad of Mercia. Built by Augustus Welby Pugin and substantially complete by 1841, St...
.
Following the Reformation, Catholicism was effectively outlawed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, though there remained a number of recusants throughout this period. Several masshouse
Masshouse
Masshouse is a site within Birmingham, United Kingdom which is under development with the construction of 13 new highrise blocks intended for public services, commerce and residential purposes. When completed, the blocks will have a prominent position on the Eastside skyline.-History:The Masshouse...
s were established in the district in the 17th century, notably at Oscott
Old Oscott
Old Oscott is an area of Great Barr, Birmingham, England . The suburb forms a triangle bounded to the north by Pheasey, to the west by Perry Beeches, and to the east by Kingstanding. The Birmingham City Council ward that covers the area is called simply Oscott.The area has been known locally as...
around 1679 and in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
itself on what is now called Masshouse Queensway in 1687, although this chapel was burnt down by an anti-Catholic mob
Crowd
A crowd is a large and definable group of people, while "the crowd" is referred to as the so-called lower orders of people in general...
the following year. After the process of Catholic Emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
began in 1778, a Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
was built on Broad Street
Broad Street, Birmingham
Broad Street is a major thoroughfare and popular nightspot in Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. Traditionally, Broad Street was considered to be outside Birmingham City Centre, but as the city centre expanded with the removal of the Inner Ring Road, Broad Street has been incorporated into...
in 1786 and Oscott College
St. Mary's College, Oscott
St Mary's College, Oscott, often called Oscott College, is the Roman Catholic seminary of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, England, though it admits students for the priesthood from various dioceses of England & Wales, as well as some overseas students...
was founded as a seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in 1794.
When St. Chad's was begun in 1841 to a design by Augustus Pugin
Augustus Pugin
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was an English architect, designer, and theorist of design, now best remembered for his work in the Gothic Revival style, particularly churches and the Palace of Westminster. Pugin was the father of E. W...
, it became the first Catholic cathedral in England since the Reformation. In the same period, Oscott College moved to a new building, also partly designed by Pugin, at New Oscott
New Oscott
New Oscott is an area of Birmingham, England.It was named after the Oscott area of Birmingham, when St. Mary's College, the Roman Catholic seminary, moved from that site to the new one. The original then became known as Old Oscott....
, and John Henry Newman, probably the most significant Catholic figure associated with Birmingham, founded the Birmingham Oratory
Birmingham Oratory
The Birmingham Oratory is a Catholic oratory and church, on the Hagley Road, in the Birmingham suburb of Edgbaston in England.-History:The church was constructed between 1907 and 1910 in the Baroque style as a memorial to Cardinal Newman, founder of the English Oratory...
which moved to its present site in Edgbaston in 1852, and its associated Oratory School
Oratory School
An Oratory School is any of several schools founded or initially operated by the Oratorians , a congregation of Catholic priests.-List of Oratory Schools:...
(1859). When the Catholic hierarchy was restored in 1850, Birmingham was made a diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
and the Catholic population of the town and surrounding district continued to grow throughout this period with a number of churches and religious houses being established.
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
, and a mix of anti-popery and xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
led to some confrontations in the town, notably the Murphy Riots of 1867. However, there was relatively little strife and Catholics in Birmingham began to be accepted by the establishment of the town. Birmingham became an archdiocese in 1911, and the Catholic population continued to grow along with the city, helped by further waves of immigration, primarily from Ireland, though Polish, Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, Ukraininan
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
and Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
immigrants have all added to the diversity of the Catholic population.
Today the number of Catholics in the archdiocese (which extends beyond Birmingham to take in the rest of the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
) has begun to fall from a peak circa 1980. Nonetheless, Catholicism continues to play a significant role in the religious life of Birmingham, not least through the large number of voluntary aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
primary and secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in the city and Newman University College
Newman University College
Newman University College is a university college offering academic degrees and teacher training in Birmingham, England.Known as Newman College of Higher Education until January 2008, it has the highest employment of graduates rate of UK universities and is in the top 25% of UK universities for...
in Bartley Green
Bartley Green
Bartley Green is a residential suburban area and electoral ward to the south west of Birmingham city centre, England. The ward is part of the Edgbaston constituency which has been under Labour rule for almost ten years. It is located in the metropolitan county of the West Midlands and was in the...
which trains Catholic teachers.
The Orthodox churches
The Dormition of the Mother of God and St Andrew, Birmingham is a Greek Orthodox cathedral under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of ConstantinoplePatriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
(Fener, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
), via the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
The Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain is an Archdiocese of the Eastern Orthodox Church, part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its present head is His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios . Its jurisdiction covers those Orthodox Christians living in Great Britain, the Isle of Man,...
(based in Craven Hill, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
).
The Church of The Holy Trinity and St Luke is a Greek Orthodox church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
(Fener, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
), via the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
The Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain is an Archdiocese of the Eastern Orthodox Church, part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its present head is His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios . Its jurisdiction covers those Orthodox Christians living in Great Britain, the Isle of Man,...
.
There is a Serbian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
church in Bournville
Bournville
Bournville is a model village on the south side of Birmingham, England, best known for its connections with the Cadbury family and chocolate – including a dark chocolate bar branded "Bournville". It is also a ward within the council constituency of Selly Oak and home to the Bournville Centre...
, one of the few purpose-built Orthodox churches in the United Kingdom. It is dedicated to the Holy Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
in 1389.
St. Mary & St. Mark's Coptic Centre, St. Mary & St. Antony's Church and the yet to be constructed cathedral of St. Mary & Archangel Michael are located in the suburbs of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands which is led by His Grace Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael is a diocesan bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria consecrated by Pope Shenouda III on 26 May 1991 to oversee the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K....
. The first Coptic Orthodox Church in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
was St. Mary & St. Antony's which was established in 1985. The city of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
is also where the Diocese is headquartered (at St. Mary & St. Mark's Coptic Centre where His Grace Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael is a diocesan bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria consecrated by Pope Shenouda III on 26 May 1991 to oversee the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K....
resides).
Other churches
There are also other denominations such as Elim Pentecostal Church with ten Churches, New Frontiers Church with 3 churches, Assemblies of God with 12 churches and many more denominations. The Eim Church leader Mark Pugh moved on to Serious 4 God which he is now leading. The Gathering started in Birmingham Christian Centre in 2004 and is now regularly attracting over 1,500 young Christians and non-Christians. The administrative headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the United Kingdom are located in BirminghamDaoism
Birmingham Daoist Community Forum was established in 2010 as the first organisation dedicated to "representing the religion of Daoism in Birmingham".Humanism
Humanists and atheists in Birmingham are supported by the Birmingham HumanistsBirmingham Humanists
Birmingham Humanist Group was formed on May 23, 1962 at the Arden Hotel, New Street, Birmingham, England, as a result of a notice placed in a newsletter of the Ethical Union, forerunner of the British Humanist Association , by Dr Anthony Brierley...
, affiliated to the British Humanist Association
British Humanist Association
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...
.
Judaism
0.2% of Birmingham's residents identify themselves as Jews. This is lower than the average figure for England and Wales of 0.5%.The existence of a Hebrew streetname in the surviving 1344-5 Borough Rentals may indicate the presence of a Jewish community in Birmingham in the 13th century – a period of significant economic growth for the expanding market town. Such a community would however not have survived the Edict of Expulsion
Edict of Expulsion
In 1290, King Edward I issued an edict expelling all Jews from England. Lasting for the rest of the Middle Ages, it would be over 350 years until it was formally overturned in 1656...
of 1290.
Birmingham's developing industry attracted Jewish settlers as early as 1730 and there was already a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in a private house in the area of today's New Street Station
Birmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
in 1791, when a purpose-built synagogue was constructed in Hurst Street. The Singers Hill Synagogue
Singers Hill Synagogue
The Birmingham Hebrew Congregation Synagogue is a Grade II* listed building comprising 26, 26A and 26B Blucher Street in central Birmingham, England.Built in 1856, it was designed by Yeoville Thomason...
in Blucher Street, a Grade II* listed building which is still used for worship today, was built in 1856 http://www.singershill.com/index.html.
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
synagogues. In the interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
, a vibrant Jewish community existed in the area around Holloway Head in the city centre and Jews also settled in the Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
and Moseley
Moseley
Moseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
areas. This period also saw the founding of the city's Liberal
Liberal Judaism
Liberal Judaism , is one of the two forms of Progressive Judaism found in the United Kingdom, the other being Reform Judaism. Liberal Judaism, which developed at the beginning of the twentieth century is less conservative than UK Reform Judaism...
synagogue in Sheepcote Street.
Redevelopment
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
of the Holloway Head area after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and a general trend of movement to the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s led to Birmingham's Jews becoming more thinly spread across the city. In the same period, however, a voluntary aided school
King David School, Birmingham
The King David School, of Birmingham, England was founded in 1865 as an infants and primary Jewish day school. Students learn Hebrew, eat kosher food, recite Jewish prayers, and celebrate Israeli holidays....
named after King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
was established in Moseley, a successor to the city's previous Hebrew school which dated back to the mid-19th century. In recent years, the community has declined in number from around 6,000 in the 1930s to 2,343 in 2001. A number of Jewish families have emigrated to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and others are believed to have moved to the larger communities in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Islam
In the 2001 census 16.8% of the Birmingham population identified themselves as MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. This is significantly higher than the average for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
of 3.0%.
The Muslim community in Birmingham is considered one of the most diverse after London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with a wide spectrum of people originally from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
, Western Asia and other Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n countries. Although the earliest Muslims to arrive in Birmingham and England generally are said to have been from Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and the regions of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
now known as Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, it is the Kashmiri
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
community from Mirpur in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
who form the largest group of migrated Muslims. The majority of the Muslims in Birmingham continue to be born abroad as more and more migrants arrive into the city although the number of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born Muslims and those who convert
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
to the faith are said to be near 50% of the total Muslim population. More recent Muslim settlers hail from Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and neighbouring nations.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
was the conversion of a terraced house in Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...
but later a grand project was undertaken by Muslims with the development of the Birmingham Central Mosque
Birmingham Central Mosque
Birmingham Central Mosque, is a mosque in the Highgate area of Birmingham, England, run by the Birmingham Mosque Trust. It is one of the largest Muslim centres in Europe....
in Belgrave Middleway, Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
, which was conceived in the 1960s and then opened in 1975 to great acclaim as the largest mosque in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and has since cemented its role as one of Britain's largest and most prominent Islamic centres.
There are currently just over 200 mosques in the city, including purpose built places of worship, converted warehouses, Churches and cinemas as well as former homes, schools and centres. The other prominent mosques and Islamic centres in the city include the Central Jamia Masjid Ghamkol Sharif (located on Poet's Corner in Golden Hillock Road, Sparkhill
Sparkhill
Sparkhill is an inner-city area of Birmingham, England, situated between Springfield, Hall Green and Sparkbrook.-Etymology:Sparkhill takes its name from Spark Brook, a small stream that flows from Moseley to the River Cole in Small Heath. It was, as the name suggests, a hill that was situated...
), Jami Masjid & Islamic Centre in Coventry Road COVENTRY ROAD MOSQUE, Green Lane Mosque
Green Lane Masjid
The Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK, commonly referred to as Green Lane Mosque, is one of Birmingham's and Britain's major mosques.Established in the 1970s, the Masjid occupies a prominent corner site in Green Lane, Small Heath, Birmingham...
(a former grand library and now modern refurbished Islamic centre and mosque in Green Lane, Small Heath
Small Heath, Birmingham
Small Heath is an inner-city area within the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated on and around the A45 ....
) which is the headquarters of Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK and the 'Amaanah' or Bordesley
Bordesley
Bordesley may refer to several places in England:*Bordesley, West Midlands, an area of Birmingham*Bordesley Green, a separate area of Birmingham*Bordesley, Worcestershire, an area of Redditch*Bordesley Abbey, a ruined abbey near Reddich...
Centre in Camp Hill
Camp Hill
-Australia:* Camp Hill, Queensland, a southern suburb of Brisbane* Camp Hill, a prominent hill in Bendigo with public lookout over the CBD-United States:* Camp Hill, Alabama* Camp Hill, Pennsylvania* Camp Hill, Glenn Springs, South Carolina, a historic site...
run by the Muath Welfare Trust and recently renovated with a generous government grant to continue to provide educational and spiritual services to the large citywide Muslim community. The Bordelsey Centre was established by the city's Yemeni
Yemeni British
Yemenis in the United Kingdom include citizens and non-citizen immigrants in the United Kingdom of Yemeni ancestry, as well as their descendants...
community.
Birmingham is home to numerous Islamic schools and has a rich array of Muslim bookstores and libraries including the exhibition centres of the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI), one of the country's longest running Islamic da'wah (or propagation) organisations. The city also has a Shariah Council run by the Birmingham Mosque Trust
Birmingham Central Mosque
Birmingham Central Mosque, is a mosque in the Highgate area of Birmingham, England, run by the Birmingham Mosque Trust. It is one of the largest Muslim centres in Europe....
.
(see also Islam in the United Kingdom
Islam in the United Kingdom
Islam has been present in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707, though it was not legally recognised until the Trinitarian Act in 1812. Today it is the second largest religion in the country with estimates suggesting that by 2010 the total Muslim population had reached 2.869 million.The...
)
Hinduism
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, The average figure in England and Wales 0.9%.
Hindus mainly originate from the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and Gujarat regions of India as well as other regions and countries such as Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. Many also came from East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
The first temple in the West Midlands, the Shree Geeta Bhawan
Shree Geeta Bhawan
The Shree Geeta Bhawan Mandir is the first Hindu temple in the Midlands. It is situated on the corner of Heathfield Road and Brecon Road in Birmingham, on the border of Handsworth and Lozells...
temple is located in the Handsworth
Handsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
area of the city on Heathfield Road. Furthermore, one of the largest mandirs in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Tividale Tirupathy Balaji Temple is located just outside the city in Tividale
Tividale
- History :The village was in the parish of St Michael named after the church built there. It was created in 1878 as an extension of the town of Tipton in the county of Staffordshire, England...
in the borough of Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
.
There are concentrations of Hindus in the Handsworth and Sparkhill sections of the city.
Sikhism
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
. The average figure for England and Wales is 0.6%.
The Sikh presence in Birmingham is largely due to immigration in the 1950s and 1960s, although there were Sikhs living in the city before and during World War II. The main organisation for Sikhism in Birmingham is the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras in Birmingham founded in 1989 which represents the city's gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
s.
One of the most prominent Sikh events in Birmingham is the annual celebration of Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated across North Indian states, especially Punjab by all Punjabis regardless of religion. In Sikhism the Khalsa was founded on same day as the Vaisakhi festival, so Sikhs celebrate twice as much....
in Handsworth
Handsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
, where many of the city's Sikhs live. The celebrations in 1999 marking the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa
Khalsa
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were the largest Vaisakhi celebrations outside of the Punjab.