Catholic churches in Egypt, especially those in the governorates of Upper Egypt, Minya and Assiut, organized prayer meetings for peace in the Holy Land and the world.
Bishops presided over the prayers in the churches, including Bishop Daniel Lotfy, at the Church of the Mother of Divine Love in Assiut, and Bishop Mark William, Bishop of the Coptic Catholic Diocese of al-Quseya at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the city of Quseya.
The worshipers held prayers and an hour of prostration.
These prayers came in conjunction with calls by Pope Francis and the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt to dedicate Tuesday to fasting and praying for peace in the Holy Land, the Middle East, and the world.
The spiritual evening program also included an hour of prostration during the prayer, which included supplications for the sake of spreading peace, joy, and hope in the Holy Land and the world.
Bishop Mark said: “On this blessed evening, beloved ones, we pray to God for peace in the Holy Land, in solidarity with the call of His Holiness Pope Francis and our brothers in the Council of Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt to fast and pray for peace in Palestine, trusting in God’s mercy, love, and extreme care, because He is the master of history and ruler of everyone.”
Bishop Ibrahim Ishaq, the Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria and Chairman of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, issued a statement on behalf of the Council in which he affirmed unity with Cardinal Patriarch of Jerusalem Pier Battista Pizzaballa, the President of the Council of Presidents of Catholic Churches in the Holy Land.
He announced participation in the call to pray for peace and reconciliation, presenting the intention of masses for peace, and that Tuesday be a day of prayer and fasting and organizing prayer times, including prostration and recitation of the Rosary.
Catholic churches also devote themselves to organizing prayer meetings specifically to pray for the wounded, the families of the missing, and the families of the victims.
