Occoquan residents are about to hear from their new neighbors.
The historic Ebenezer Baptist Church was sold to a small Muslim congregation, Internatioanl Peace Mission, Inc., in October 2021.
For the first time in over 30 years, the observance of Passover, Good Friday, and Ramadan has overlapped. As a result, Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta asked the leaders of the mosque if they would, on two occasions during the month-long Ramadan observance, perform the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, as an educational opportunity for residents and visitors.
According to Porta, the adhan, always recited in Arabic, is roughly, though not exactly, analogous to traditional church bells in the Christian tradition, calling congregants to worship. It is a brief recitation, normally chanted, and despite the relatively large Islamic community in our region, is not normally heard here out of respect for local noise concerns.
According to Porta, the mosque agreed to perform the chant outdoors (weather permitting) on Friday, April 22, at 1:25 p.m. and again on Friday, April 29. In addition, they are inviting the community on the evening of April 22 (after sunset) to join them in theiftar, which is the breaking of the daily daylight fasting performed during Ramadan.
Lastly, the mayor said the mosque would conclude its Ramadan observance with a small public festival to which they invite everyone.
Lewis Bailey was born into slavery in Virginia and founded Ebenezer Baptist Church. According to Prince William County documents, Bailey was separated from his family and sold to a slave owner in Texas before the Civil War.
After the war, Bailey walked back to Northern Virginia to reunite with his family. In 1883 he organized Ebenezer Baptist Church, one of the oldest African American Baptist congregations in eastern Prince William County.
Today, a historical marker is located at the church.
