Be a good guest
In a place of worship, watch, ask, and be calm.
- 1
Use a quiet voice
People may be praying. Sit still. If you do not pray, that is all right. Do not copy a prayer as a joke. Do not talk over it.
- 2
Ask where to sit
Follow the host. Do not run. Do not climb on furniture. Do not sit on a holy book.
- 3
Shoes off when that is the custom
Many mosques, gurdwaras, mandirs, and temples ask you to remove your shoes. Many churches do not. If you are not sure, ask.
- 4
Cover your head if you are asked
In a gurdwara, people cover their heads. Some synagogues, churches, and mosques offer a covering too. If someone offers you one, wear it while you are inside. It is not a costume.
- 5
Ask before you photograph
Some places say no photos. Some say no photos during prayer. Wait for a yes. Do not take a photo of a person who looks away.
- 6
Leave holy things in their place
Do not touch a holy book, a statue, or a scroll unless a host shows you how. Do not put a sacred book on the floor. Do not touch a kirpan.
- 7
Food
If food is offered and you can eat it, you may say thank you. If you cannot eat it, say “No thank you.” Do not call the food strange.
- 8
Leave kindly
Thank the host. Walk slowly. A good guest makes the next guest welcome too.
Photo credits
Buildings and objects are real photos. Each photo names its maker and its licence. People are drawn, not photographed. The drawing shows an adult and two children sharing food.
Photo: Church of St Andrew, Greensted — nave and south porch. Acabashi. CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here smaller. The lower churchyard was cropped.
Photo: Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul. kallerna. CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here smaller. The right edge was cropped.
Photo: New West End Synagogue exterior. Chesdovi. CC BY 3.0. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here smaller. The steps were cropped.
Photo: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London. Mark Ahsmann. CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here in a smaller copy.
Photo: Jetavanaramaya Stupa, Anuradhapura. A.Savin. Free Art License. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here in a smaller copy.
Photo: Golden Temple, Amritsar. shankar s.. CC BY 2.0. Wikimedia Commons. Shown here in a smaller copy.