By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 9: The “Sama Koih” (Our Father) prayer in the Bidayuh Bau dialect has made it onto the walls of the historic Church of Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, joining 140 other major languages of the world, together with the Iban language.
The “Sama Koih” was unveiled after an official blessing ceremony by the Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Archdiocese, the Most Revd Simon Poh recently.
According to Poh, the church of Pater Noster (Latin meaning “Our Father”) is located on Mount of Olives, believed to be the site where Jesus Christ taught his followers “The Lord’s Prayer” in Jerusalem.
“Thus, the Bau Bidayuh ‘Sama Koih’ (Our Father) prayer that is blessed and installed on the wall of the church reflects the faith of the Dayak Christians in Sarawak and Malaysia.
“It is wonderful that the Iban’s ‘Apai Kami’ (Our Father) prayer is also on the same wall beside our prayer.
“This Bidayuh prayer represents the Archdiocese of Kuching in the Holy Land, invoking the blessing of our Heavenly Father upon all of us back home here,” Poh told DayakDaily here today.
A total of 89 Bidayuh pilgrims from the Bau parish of St Stephen’s, together with some pilgrims from Kuching, came on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land on November 29 to witness the unveiling of the “Sama koih” which took two years of planning and preparation.
They were led by Poh, accompanied by Fr Bernard Jim Bujang from St Stephen’s Parish Bau and Fr Patrick Heng from Holy Trinity Church, Kuching.
It is understood that the Iban’s “Apai Kami” was put forth by the Anglican Church of Sarawak. —DayakDaily
