Coming Tuesday: The Day of Fasting For Peace

He is not the God of disorder but of peace (1 Cor 14,33).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May the Lord indeed give us His peace!

The pain and dismay at what is happening are profound. Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of a political and military crisis. We have suddenly been thrust into a sea of unprecedented violence. The hatred, which we have regrettably experienced for too long, will intensify even further, and the ensuing spiral of violence will bring about more destruction. Everything seems to speak of death.

However, in this time of sorrow and dismay, we refuse to remain helpless. We cannot allow death and its sting (1 Cor 15:55) to be the only word we hear.

That is why we feel the need to pray, to turn our hearts to God the Father. Only in this way can we draw the strength and serenity needed to endure these trying times, by turning to Him in prayer and intercession, to implore and cry out to God amidst this anguish.

On behalf of all the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, I extend an invitation to all parishes and religious communities to observe a day of fasting and prayer for peace and reconciliation.

We request that on Tuesday, October 17th, everyone observe a day of fasting, abstinence, and prayer. Let us schedule times of prayer with Eucharistic adoration and the recitation of the Rosary to Our Blessed Virgin Mary. While circumstances may not allow large gatherings in many parts of our dioceses, it is possible to arrange simple and solemn communal moments of prayer in parishes, religious communities, and families.

In this way, we all come together despite everything, uniting collectively in prayer to present to God the Father our thirst for peace, justice, and reconciliation.

With sincere prayers for all,

+Pierbattista Card. Pizzaballa

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

President of the ACOHL