When: Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.
Where: Temple Theatre, 203 N. Washington Ave., Saginaw
SAGINAW- The Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, Dr. Waheed Akbar, M.D., with The Dr. Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture Series, and Dr. Donald Bachand, President of Saginaw Valley State University, are hosting the Saginaw movie premiere of The Sultan and the Saint, which explores the historic relationship between St. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, who together sought peace between Christians and Muslims during a time of violent conflict nearly 800 years ago.
About the Film
St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil bucked a century of war, distrust and insidious propaganda in search of mutual respect. And they used their faiths to heal rather than fracture. The lessons are far-reaching.
Through the local debut of the film, The Sultan and the Saint, Bishop Cistone, Dr. Akbar and President Bachand hope to inspire and encourage peace and unity, and to foster dialog and learning of the sacredness of all people and their relationships with one another.
Thoughts From Dr. Akbar, Bishop Cistone and President Bachand
According to Dr. Akbar, “When I first read the story of St. Francis and the Sultan of Egypt, I was moved by their mission. Their story sheds light on the power of spirituality and love to act as a uniting force between seemingly disparate sides. Today, religious leaders such as Pope Francis and Bishop Cistone continue the tradition of compassion and inclusivity established early by St. Francis and the Sultan. I feel blessed that Bishop Cistone so warmly accepted my request to help bring this movie to our community.”
Dr. Akbar and his late wife Dr. Raana Akbar, have worked to encourage unity and religious tolerance for decades.
"I am pleased to join my good friend Dr. Waheed Akbar in presenting the film The Sultan and the Saint to our local community," said Bishop Cistone. "St. Francis of Assisi is revered by Christians and non-Christians alike for his love for God, for all men and women, and for nature's life in all its forms. The historic and remarkable meeting between Francis and the Sultan forged a powerful relationship between Christians and Muslims at a time when both communities were violently opposed to one another. It is my hope that this movie will be a source of inspiration and encouragement for people of all faiths, denominations and ethnic backgrounds to foster relationships of mutual love and respect."
“The story behind The Sultan and The Saint offers us a timeless and timely lesson on how to overcome the divides that sometimes separate two cultures,” President Bachand said. “Overcoming such a divide often requires taking a leap of faith in the goodness of others, regardless of background or belief. SVSU is proud to be a partner in bringing this important movie premiere to Saginaw.”
Movie Premiere Details
The Saginaw premiere of The Sultan and the Saint will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Temple Theatre, 203 N. Washington Ave., Saginaw. The evening program will be moderated by Art Lewis, community advocate and host of the Art Lewis Show on WSGW 790, and will include remarks by Dr. Bachand, Bishop Cistone, Dr. Waheed Akbar and Michael Wolfe, Executive Producer of the film. Tickets are $4 each and may be purchased at the Temple Theatre box office, (989) 754-7469 or online at http://templetheatre.com/event/the-sultan-and-the-saint/.
A movie trailer is viewable at https://www.sultanandthesaintfilm.com/
This event is presented by the Seventh Annual Dr. Raana Akbar Lecture Series, the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, and Saginaw Valley State University. Proceeds will go to the East Side Soup Kitchen in Saginaw. All are welcome to attend.