On September 2, the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land made an urgent appeal for prayers for the millions of innocent people living in fear amidst the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, shared with Vatican News the atmosphere of growing tension in Jerusalem. “By 5 PM, we had already received the order to keep the schools closed the next day. Later, around 7 PM, all the friars in Jerusalem gathered for Vespers at the Church of San Salvatore, as part of the Triduum for the Feast of St. Francis. That's when the sirens began to wail, followed by the deafening sound of explosions.”
Describing the terrifying moments, Fr. Faltas said, "When we rushed outside, we saw the bright trails of rockets intercepted by the Iron Dome. Most were headed for military installations in the Negev, south of Jerusalem, but a few passed over the city."
He continued, "Moments later, another wave of rockets followed. The city was soon engulfed in an eerie silence. People are gripped by fear, dreading the possibility of retaliation and further violence."
Fr. Faltas called for urgent prayers: “This will be a night of great anxiety, and for us, a night of intense prayer. I ask you to pray for us and for all the innocent people suffering in this senseless war.”
His plea came after Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah, an ally of Iran.
Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, the Custodian of the Holy Land, emphasized the importance of safety during this time, urging all Franciscans in Jerusalem to follow safety protocols and stay indoors. He added, "We are gathered in prayer, hoping that the madness on both sides will cease and peace will be restored."
Fr. Patton concluded with a powerful message: "Instead of letting weapons speak, we must amplify the voice of diplomacy."
Since the beginning of October, at least 41,638 people have lost their lives, and 96,460 have been injured in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes. In Israel, at least 1,139 people have been killed following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, with over 200 individuals taken hostage.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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