Indianapolis Muslim and Christian faith leaders made history on Sunday, December 18, coming together in a prayer service at the Indianapolis library to celebrate their faith ahead of the holiday season.

Sunday’s event was the sixth annual Christian Muslim Unity Prayer Service. Held annually, organizers hope the event will lead to change around the world.

 “This is exactly what we want to show today – that we are different, but we can still work together and cherish our differences,” said Ahmed Alamine of the Muslim Community of Indianapolis, WTHR reported.

“Because we do have a lot in common,” he added.

During the event, leaders recited the Christian Muslim unity prayer and the Unified Reading of the Bible and the Qur’an.

“We really look at God and the world around us in very similar ways and the dogmas can be different, but the desires are the same,” said Father Chris Wadelton.

“He is Catholic, and I am Muslim, and I feel closer to him than many Muslims,” said Alamine.

In a divided society, both leaders said they look at each other as human first. “Trust me, if we do so, we’ll slow the problems of the world,” said Alamine.

Muslims believe in Jesus as one of the great prophets of God and that he was born miraculously, conceived with no father, to his mother, Mary, but that doesn’t make him the ‘Son of God’.

While Muslims regard Jesus as a holy prophet, most do not celebrate his birthday, a date historians note could not have been in December at all.