BOISE -- Many people of different backgrounds gathered Wednesday night despite their religious differences. Hundreds of people filled the pews at St. John's Cathedral in Boise for an interfaith service. Leaders from different religions led the huge crowd in prayer.
"Every year, this is a very special event," said Bishop Michael Driscoll with the Catholic Diocese of Idaho. The worship attracted a full house.
"Honestly it just feels good to be here in this environment," said Christine Badostein of Boise who has been attending for years.
Brigham Young University student Elise Scoggin is new to the event.
"I just thought it would be cool to come start Thanksgiving a different way than I'd ever done before," said Scoggin.
Thomas Pawlowski represented the Bahai faith at the podium with the evening's opening prayer. "We're going to find so much commonality between everyone's views that we'll wonder: why is there any problem in the world between religions?" said Powlowski.
Religious leaders say the message of having compassion and gratitude is shared this one night.
"Thanksgiving also reminds us giving thanks to God and reminds us of our less fortunate neighbors," said Ahmed-Zaid with the Islamic Center of Boise.
"I think that's a really, wonderful, wonderful thing for all us of to realize, that we are people of faith," said Driscoll.
"It's confirmation that humanity is moving in that direction," said Badostein.
The Catholic Diocese says this is one of the most popular sermons it has all year. The interfaith worship is a decades-long tradition.
