Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem calls for a day of prayer and fasting one year after the war in the Holy Land

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has called for a day of prayer, fasting and penance for next October 7, one year after Hamas launched its fierce surprise attack against Israel.

In one emotional letter Addressing his ecclesiastical constituency, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called on the faithful to unite on this day of reflection and supplication, in the hope of achieving peace in a region deeply affected by violence.

“The month of October is approaching, and with it the realization that, for a year now, the Holy Land, and not only it, has been plunged into a whirlwind of violence and hatred never before seen or experienced,” he noted in his letter. , underlining the seriousness of the situation that has left thousands of victims and has eroded the sense of belonging and community among the inhabitants of the region.

The cardinal highlighted that violence has not only had a devastating human cost, but has also “infiltrated the language and political and social actions,” weakening the shared mission of “building together a Kingdom of peace and justice” in the land that It is sacred to so many people.

“It has dealt a terrible blow to the common feeling of belonging to the Holy Land, to the awareness of being part of a plan of Providence that has wanted us here to build together its Kingdom of peace and justice, and not, on the contrary, to turn it into a repository of hatred and contempt, of mutual rejection and annihilation,” he stated.

The Patriarchate has organized the hour of adoration and the vespers prayer, which will be presided at 6:00 pm (local time) by Cardinal Pizzaballa himself in the Pro-Cathedral of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem, on a day that the cardinal defines as “symbol of the tragedy we are experiencing.”

The patriarch also made a new call to political and social leaders to make decisions that promote peace and justice: “We cannot but make a new call to the rulers and those who have the heavy responsibility of making decisions in this context to “are committed to justice and respect for everyone’s right to freedom, dignity and peace.”

Cardinal Pizzaballa highlighted the importance of keeping hearts away from hate and actively working to help those most in need: “As we commit ourselves, each in our community context and in the ways we can, we must support those in need, help those who work to alleviate the suffering of those affected by this war and promote any action for peace, reconciliation and encounter.”

Finally, the cardinal stressed the importance of prayer as a powerful tool to bring pain and the desire for peace before God: “We must convert, do penance, ask for forgiveness.”

In addition, he recalled that on October 7 the memory of Mary, Queen of the Rosary, is celebrated, and encouraged the faithful to pray in community or individually: “May each of us, with his rosary or in the way that best suits him If it suits you, personally but even better in community, find a moment to stop and pray.

The letter ends with an invitation to all Christians to invoke the intercession of Mary, Queen of the Rosary, to guide and protect the Holy Land and its inhabitants in these difficult times. The Cardinal expressed his “best wishes” to the faithful, urging them to remain firm in faith and in the hope that, through prayer and action, a future of peace can be built for all.

In conclusion, the cardinal shared the following prayer:

Prayer for peace

Lord our God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
and Father of all humanity,
that, through the cross of your Son
and for the gift of his own life
paid a high price to destroy
the wall of enmity and hostility
that separates peoples and turns us all into enemies:
send to our hearts
the gift of the Holy Spirit
so that it purifies us of all feelings
of violence, hatred and revenge,
May it enlighten us to understand
irreducible dignity
of anyone,
and inspire us to work
for a world of peace and reconciliation
in truth and justice
in love and freedom.
Almighty and eternal God,
the hopes of humanity
and the rights of all peoples
They are in your hands:
Assist those who govern us with your wisdom,
so that, with your help,
be sensitive to the sufferings of the poor
and those who suffer the consequences
of violence and war;
that promote in our region
and throughout the earth
the common good and lasting peace.
Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope,
Get the gift of peace
for the Holy Land where you were born
and for the whole world. Amen.