Here is a call to prayer for Syria on the eve of the Geneva 2 Conference, made Tuesday by Patriarch Gregorios III.
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The Geneva 2 Conference will be held on 22 January 2014. As president of the Assembly of Catholic Hierarchs in Syria, I address this appeal to my colleagues and beloved bishops, all our children, priests, monks, nuns, faithful, confraternities, youth movements, families, young people and children…
This is a call for the celebration of daily prayers in churches, homes, pastoral meetings… for the success of the Geneva 2 Conference, for peace in dear Syria and for the cessation of all acts of violence, destruction and war.
We join our voice to that of His Holiness Pope Francis, who called, in his address to the diplomatic corps on 13 of this month, for the success of the Geneva 2 Conference and for it to «mark the beginning of the desired peace process.»
Jesus our Lord is Prince of peace. He told us: «Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!» (John 14: 27) We implore him to hear our prayers, respond to our cries of distress and the suffering of the victims, and grant us the great gift of peace! We beg him to inspire the countries and their representatives who are about to meet in Geneva with the wherewithal for peace, security and a better future for Syrians.
We raise our prayer to our Mother, the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, whom we venerate in our many sanctuaries, churches, prayers and hymns, for her to intercede for the miracle of peace, a special miracle from her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of peace.
I hope this appeal will be published in all eparchies and parishes even outside Syria! Let there be a global prayer campaign for peace in Syria, the Holy Land, the Arab world and the whole world.
God of Peace, grant peace to our country!
With my affection and blessing
+Gregorios III
Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
Of Alexandria and Jerusalem
This document was made available to Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries.www.churchinneed.org
