LONDON: Britain`s chief rabbi will join other faith leaders at Saturday`s coronation of King Charles III but faces a unique problem how to ensure his attendance does not breach the Jewish Shabbat (sabbath).

Ephraim Mirvis on Friday praised the `respectful, sensitive` way that King Charles`s office had handled the situation even inviting him to spend the night with his wife Valerie at St James`s Palace.

That will enable the chief rabbi to walk to the nearby Westminster Abbey on Saturday morning, rather than breaking Shabbat rules by using motorised transport.

A Kosher caterer has been brought in to prepare on Friday night din-ner of coronation chicken, Mirvis told Sky News television.

After the Christian coronation service, the chief rabbi will join British Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist leaders in making a spoken declaration in unison towards their newly crowned monarch.

`It will be quite brief, but exceptionally powerful,` Mirvis said, while stressing that he was not required to speak into an electronic microphone in the abbey, again to respect the Jewish holy day.

The unprecedented joint declaration from thereligious leaders reads: `Your Majesty, as neighbours in faith, we acknowledge the value of public service`.

`We unite with people of all faiths and beliefs inthanksgiving, and in service with you for the common good.

`Defender of faith` Mirvis consulted judges from Britain`s Beth Din Jewish court who agreed it was permissible to enter a Christian church on this Shabbat, out of respect for an invitation from the sovereign.

`This is a wonderful feature of 21st-century Britain, and our king wants to champion the rights of members of all faiths to practise their religion,` the chief rabbi added.

`He did this marvel-lously while he was prince of Wales. He`s continuing now as the king,` he said.

`And it`s not just within the Jewish faith. I know that members of other faiths as well hugely appreciate this.

And now to be included in the coronation service, it`s very special.` The service at Westminster Abbey will be overwhelmingly drawn from the Christian liturgy as Charles takes an oath to serve as `Defender of the (Protestant) Faith` and to protect the established Church of England.

-AFP