Largest Mosque in Canada Opened

July 6, 2008

Author: Graeme Morton, with files from Sherri Zickefoose

Source: Calgary Herald

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=81e95e14-0d8a-46c5-82fd-7e7b1d2cc0d8

Calgary's newest house of worship, the Baitun Nur mosque in Castleridge, was officially dedicated Saturday by an estimated crowd of 5,000 people that included religious leaders, Canada's two top politicians and throngs of faithful.

A steady stream of worshippers walked underneath the mosque's shining steel dome and minaret tower and flowed to large white tents to witness the unveiling.

The mosque, Canada's largest at 48,000 square feet, is the the spiritual home of Calgary's Ahmadiyya Muslim community, which numbers between 2,000-3,000.

The global spiritual leader of the Ahmadi Muslims, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, arrived in Calgary Wednesday to lead the first prayers in the new facility and was on hand yesterday for the building's public celebration.