Bahrain hosted the conference “The Importance of Dialogue between Religions” with the participation of 200 world religious and public figures. We remind that Rustam Minnikhanov, Chairman of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia – Islamic World”, took part in the Forum on behalf of Russia.
The event was also attended by Pope Francis, who was visiting the Gulf country for the first time and gave a speech inspired by the so-called “Tree of Life”, which grows in Bahrain. He mentioned it six times.
What is the ‘Tree of Life”?
About 40 kilometers south of the capital Manama, there is a tree the existence of which puzzles scientists. The fact is that this plant has managed to survive for more than 400 years in an arid region where the average rainfall is less than 150 mm a year.
The tree, which emerged in the middle of Bahrain’s hot, dry desert, has been called the “Tree of life” and one of Bahrain’s natural wonders.
“Many people believe that the secret lies in the roots that go dozens of meters underground and are irrigated by aquifers,” the pontiff said in his statement.
This perennial tree has become one of the tourist attractions in Bahrain, a Gulf country of 1,4 million people. “Almost 50 000 people visit the “Tree of Life” each year. According to the Lonely Planet website, it was planted around 1583 AD.
Extensive research on this miraculous tree has been carried out without a definitive explanation of why it survived centuries ago without sources of irrigation.
In a Reuters report on the “Tree of life” in 2008, Ghazi Al-Karaki, a professor specializing in botany and hydroponics, said there was a scientific explanation for the tree surviving for such a long time. It is symbiosis. The fungi in the tree’s roots act like a sponge that absorbs water from deep within the earth, allowing the trees to survive in harsh conditions.
Al Karaki added: “We took samples from the soil at the roots and it turned out to be completely dry. The root fungus found in the soil of this tree forms a very large network of filaments that extend deep and wide, both horizontally and vertically. These filaments help to absorb water and nutrients from the roots of the distant depths”.
In October 2010, archaeologists discovered pottery and other artifacts next to the tree, some of which may date back to the ancient Dilmun civilization in Bahrain, Charismatic Planet also reported.
What did the Pope say about the “Tree of Life”?
In his speech, Pope Francis pointed out that the “Tree of life” that lives in arid deserts, through its symbiosis with the fungus, points to the possibility of “humanity coexistence” despite all differences. He urged: “Let us not let the possibility of encounter between civilizations, religions and cultures evaporate, and let us not let the roots of humanity wither away, let us work together and work for all”.
He also noted that Bahrain was the country with the largest number of expatriates: “The tree’s many branches of different sizes have led over time to a dense interweaving of leaves, which has increased its height and width. Many people from different nations have invested in the development of this country, which has resulted in a significant growth in the economy. Bahrain can boast that about half of its permanent population is made up of foreigners”.
The Pope also mentioned this tree when talking about climate issues and the UN climate summit COP27, which started in Egypt.
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Photo: Omar Chatriwala/Creative Commons 2.0