Wednesday at 9: 00 a. m. ET — Interfaith organizers in London and the Philippines are shifting plans to treat the overlap of Ramadan and Lent as a unified season for shared iftars, Lenten services and outreach, and leaders such as Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo and Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally are urging coordinated prayer and charity. When Does Ramadan End has become a practical question for those scheduling break-fast times and Lenten events.
When Does Ramadan End in London and the Philippines
Ramadan began in the evening of 17 February, with the first full day of fasting starting on Wednesday, 18 February, subject to the sighting of the crescent moon; for Catholics the same day marked Ash Wednesday. For the first time since 1993, the two seasons started more or less at the same time, a scheduling coincidence that is changing how congregations plan meals and services across cities named in coverage.
Acacus Restaurant and St Edmund’s Church Lead Joint Observances
In Marylebone, the Libyan restaurant Acacus opens its doors at sunset for diners observing iftar; the menu there includes chickpea soup with lamb and varieties of tagine, and owner Khaled Giami says the moment is a good time to bring people together. He describes a Libyan iftar as breaking the fast with dates, then serving soup, then a small dish and finally a main course, with an emphasis on not eating too much at once.
In south-east London, St Edmund’s Church in Beckenham has filled with worshippers observing Lent. Fr Stephen Wymer says that in Christian fasting the purpose is not merely giving something up but becoming holier and treating everyone encountered better, and he welcomes fasting alongside other religions given current global conflicts.
Bishop Bagaforo and Archbishop Mullally Call for Shared Prayer and Charity
In the Philippines, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo described the simultaneous start of Ramadan and Lent as a “grace” that invites people to return to God and walk together in faith, emphasizing prayer, fasting, repentance and generosity. He tied fasting to compassion for the poor and the practice of Alay Kapwa, framing sacrifice as service to communities affected by poverty and disaster.
Scholars and faith figures in London have also highlighted common fasting traditions: Timothy Winter, an associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Cambridge, notes shared forms across religions, pointing to the historic Christian “black fast” that resembles daylight fasting observed by many Muslims. Last week, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally attended an interfaith iftar in London, underscoring a focus on similarities rather than differences amid ongoing international tensions.
If the sighting of the crescent moon continues to confirm the start dates already observed, coordinated iftars and joint Lenten services will likely proceed through the remainder of the season; if the sighting rule were to change local calendars, organizers would need to adjust scheduled break-fast times and Lenten events accordingly.
