Pope Francis has called for a global day of prayer and fasting on October 7 to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel amid escalating violence in the region. Source: National Catholic Register.
The Pope’s surprise announcement, made at the end of his homily at Mass in St Peter’s Square yesterday, comes the morning after Iran launched hundreds of missiles towards Israel following the launch of the Israeli military’s ground offensive in Lebanon.
Pope Francis said the Church is always at the service of humanity “especially in his dramatic hour of our history, as the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to ravage entire peoples and nations”.
“I ask everyone to take part in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world,” he said.
Pope Francis also revealed that he will go to Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major on Sunday to pray the Rosary on the eve of the anniversary “to invoke the gift of peace through the intercession of Most Holy Mary”.
The Pope made his plea for peace during the opening Mass for the second assembly of the Synod on Synodality. Speaking to the more than 400 priests, bishops, cardinals, and lay Synod delegates gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Mass, the Pope invited the members of the Synod to join him in the Marian basilica to pray the Rosary for peace
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has urged the importance of “prayer, fasting and penance” for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land.
The cardinal published a prayer for peace which he has asked Catholics to pray along with the rosary during the Marian month of October.
Last week, Maronite Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay called on all faithful to pray for peace, asking parishes of the Maronite Eparchy to hold Eucharistic Adoration, and to dedicate Masses on October 7 to peace in Lebanon and the Holy Land.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is supporting the global day of prayer and fasting for peace on October 7 and is encouraging people to participate.
FULL STORY
Pope Francis calls for global day of prayer and fasting amid escalating conflict in Holy Land (By Courtney Mares, National Catholic Register)
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