” “A silent prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East is due to be held tonight, from 9 pm to midnight, in the metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool, chaired by archbishop Patrick Kelly. Kelly, who is also the deputy president of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales and the coordinator of the bishops for support to the Church in the Holy Land, has just come back from a guided pilgrimage in that region. “The situation in the Middle East is quickly getting worse and we must not forget that violence can never be a solution”, stated the archbishop, urging people to “open their hearts to prayer” to “reach the hearts of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, where help is so badly needed”. “Ours – concludes Kelly will be a silent vigil, and everyone is invited to spend at least a few minutes praying for peace”. The archbishop’s idea comes in the wake of a recent statement made by the patriarch of Antioch, card. Nasrallah Peter Sfeir: “The tragic events of the last few days” drive us “to pray and ask the Lord for help. As we said in the past and as we repeat today, we are against every aggression, no matter where it comes from. We have experienced war in our land” and “we have had enough”. Hence the proposal of working together, through dialogue, for peace and justice in the region”.
