The 30th anniversary of the gathering of different religions for the World Day for Prayer and Peace in Assisi "is stronger and the spirit that sustains it has spread and given encouragement to so many in the world", according to the Bishop of Assisi Mgr Domenico Sorrentino at the opening mass of the event.
Speaking at a mass celebrated at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi which introduces the three-day meeting organised by the Community of Sant’Egidio, the Diocese of Assisi and the Franciscan Families, Sorrentino told the celebrants that St John Paul II realised the power of prayer.
“St John Paul II,” the bishop said this morning, “realised that the power of prayer needs to be used as a stimulus to build peace, hence the 'Spirit of Assisi' initiative. These prayers are addressed to God who is love and peace, they are therefore said in love and peace, as the Apostle reminds us: ‘Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing’. May this be the spirit of Assisi that we have been experiencing in the past few days, at Jesus’ school and of his servant Francis, in a cordial dialogue with many believers who are praying with us despite their different faiths.”
President of the Community of Sant’Egidio, Marco Impagliazzo, said: “30 years on, that voice is stronger and the spirit that sustains it has spread and given encouragement to so many in the world”. He also talked about the need for “the voice of peace to be stronger and bolder as it also needs to speak for those who don’t have a voice because it has been stifled by war and violence”.
Over 500 global religious leaders are expected this week for the gathering which began this morning in the Umbrian town which was the birthplace of St Francis. Tomorrow (Tuesday 20 September) Pope Francis will join the gathering where he is expected to sign a peace appeal by the leaders of all religions gathered in Assisi. He is then expected to meet representatives from other faiths, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I.
The number of people attending this Assisi includes 500 representatives of nine religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism), 12,000 participants and more than 1,500 volunteers. There are 29 panels, 19 venues for meetings and prayers and 7 big screens relaying events across the town.
PICTURE: Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama shake hands as they met in Assisi at the inaugural World Day of Prayer for Peace in 1986
Loading ...
