A lamp not to forget the Eastern countries, which for a long time have been involved in a spiral of violence that demeans personal and social cohabitation. It was lit this morning, before the Icon of the Holy Mother of God, by the archbishop Leonardo Sandri, recently appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches. The news was given by the Vatican Radio station, which relates a few statements by mgr. Sandri. The lamp, he said, means to be "the sign of our full attention for our brothers of the East, who suffer the consequences of the war, of divisions, of hatred, of terrorist attacks, every day", as well as a sign of "our prayer, because this is what we can do". According to the Prefect, the greatest problems for Christians today are "being able to serenely live the life of the Church, having their own buildings, their own temples, attending Mass, partaking of the Sacraments, carrying out the pastoral for the young, for the old, for children, the catechesis". "As a Congregation he added , we are close to them and we do all we can in pastoral and economic terms". The ceremony was also attended by ambassadors and diplomats from the Middle East, Europe and other countries.
