The Cardinal Vicar of the Pope for the diocese of Rome, De Donatis, presented the initiative to pray for peace in the Middle East and the whole world that will take place this afternoon in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore: “We want to have courage to “expect the unexpected. The Gospel encourages us to do the same.” For October 17, the Italian Episcopal Conference also called a day of fasting, abstinence and prayer
Rome responded to the violence in the bloody Holy Land with the powerful “weapon” of prayer. In front of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary Salus Populi Romani, displayed in the parvis of the Basilica of Santa MarÃa Maggiore, the Holy Rosary will be prayed today at 9:00 pm to invoke the gift of peace, also for the whole world.
The event can also be followed live via Telepace and the station’s YouTube channel.
Cardinal Vicar: “Hope beyond hope”
Everyone is invited to participate, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Pope’s Vicar for the diocese of Rome, told Vatican media. And explained:
“We decided to pray thinking precisely about the extraordinary situation we were experiencing. And we will do this with a meditative rosary to ask God, urgently, for the unheard.
The cardinal also said that “this is a courageous prayer, able to expect the unheard, because we feel very poor in this situation. The only strong way we have is to pray. The Gospel encourages us: ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find knock and it will be opened to you.
Above prayer, fasting and abstinence
The Italian Episcopal Conference, in partnership with Christians in the Holy Land, has called for October 17 to be a national day of fasting, prayer and abstinence for peace and reconciliation. “At a time of great pain and strong concern about the escalation of violence in the Middle East, the invitation of the presidency of the Italian Episcopal Conference is addressed to the diocesan communities to join the initiative,” said the Italian bishops.
