For the first time ever, a Sikh led the U.S. Senate in prayer, and it was a Millbourne resident Giani Sukhvinder Singh who did the honors, writes Kathleen E. Carey for the Daily Times.

Fifty six Sikhs from Upper Darby were on hand to celebrate the 550^th anniversary of the birth of their founder, Guru Nanak.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., invited Singh and other Sikhs from Delaware County to the morning prayer and an evening reception.

“There had never been a Sikh delivering the opening prayer,” Toomey said. “I think it was kind of overdue for the Sikhs.”

The Sikh faith is the sixth largest religion in the world with 30 million adherents worldwide, 700,000 in the U.S. and 10,000 to 30,000 in Pennsylvania.

Sikh values include equality for all, including between the genders, loving your neighbor, peace, honest living and giving back to society, particularly the poor.

Raj Singh of Upper Darby spoke about what he felt in the Senate Chamber Wednesday morning.

“We feel so proud, we feel welcomed,” he said. “Every Sikh wants to do much more for the country we adopted, this country we will live and die for.”

Read more about this history-making event here.

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