Cake designer Stephanie T Sturges www.handcraftedcakes.co.uk has teamed up artist Anthony Padgett to produce the world’s first interreligious wedding cake. This magnificent 5-Tier creation has a different famous religious building represented on each tier.

The message is simple; religions should come together in a celebration of life. The cake was part of Grizedale Arts LET’S GET MARRIED TODAY, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13 2003.

The cake was cut by children as part of a performance and poet John Hindle read a tribute to the occasion.

Inter-religious Wedding cake Poem

The white board extends,
to a jigsaw to detailed religion,
this is the doorway to the Ism,
the spring board to life,
the joining together of religions,
Breaks down the pillars which rise,
hand in hand we march to the sky,
extended time gives endless infinity,
A tunnel of freedom,
enhances a platform to survive,
every step forward unites,
the journey upwards,
circles to the perimeter,
of inter-religious faith,
every possibility hands light,
to break through the remaining space,
alluding conflict,
Every believe merging together,
feel the movement building,
the tight structure closes
as segments of distance end.

By John Hindle. Pen Name – Penican. Date 6/7/03

Cake Story told at Grizedale

Once upon a time there was an interreligious wedding cake in the middle of a forest....

The cake made people very happy when they looked at it and the more people that looked at it the bigger it became, and the happier the people were. However people decided that only the elite were allowed to look at the cake.

The Christians saw their bit of the cake – a parish church - and said that “only devout Christians are allowed to look at the cake”.

The Chinese Daoist saw their bit of the cake – the Temple of Heaven - and said that “only devout Chinese Daoist are allowed to look at the cake”.

The Muslims saw their bit of the cake – the Dome of the Rock - and said that “only devout Muslims are allowed to look at the cake”.

The Buddhists saw their bit of the cake – a temple - and said that “only devout Buddhists are allowed to look at the cake”.

The Jews saw their bit of the cake – Herod’s Temple - and said that “only devout Jews are allowed to look at the cake”.

So the cake remained small in the forest.

One day a little boy and a little girl were walking in the wood and stumbled upon the cake. They were amazed and so happy to see such a beautiful cake, but they could tell that the cake was sad.

“Why are you so sad?” they asked. The cake replied that “I want lots of people to be happy and the more people that see me the bigger I will become. The problem is that no one wants to tell people about me, they want to keep me secret and exclusive”.

The little girl and boy said “Don’t worry, we’re going to tell everyone about you!”

Just as they were running off they ran into a terrible ogre who bellowed “Where do you think you’re going. I don’t want everyone to be happy. You’re not going to tell everyone about the cake, because I’m going to eat you.”

The cake shouted “Stop. If you let the children go then they will tell everyone about me and I will get really big. Then I promise that you can eat me if you like.”

Being greedy the ogre agreed to let the children go. They told everyone in the village, who told everyone in the town, who told everyone in the cities. Everyone came to see the cake and the cake grew enormous and everyone was really happy.

One day the ogre returned and shouted “I’m going to make you all unhappy now and eat the cake!” The people protested but the cake said, “No, I promised so go ahead ogre, eat me if you like”. The ogre took a massive bite out of the top church and shouted “Yuuuck, this cake is made out of polystyrene with icing on it!”

Everyone laughed so hard that the ogre ran away and hid out of embarrassment. However the bottom layer of the cake was made of cake and jam and everyone had a wonderful party.

Please download a certificate to sign and keep.