PRAYER – This Wednesday, June 1, 2016, on the occasion of the International Day of Children hundreds of Christian children will gather in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Tartous and Marmarita to pray for peace. This initiative, fruit of a meeting between Aid to the Church in Need and the Churches of Syria, was launched jointly by Catholics and Orthodox Patriarchs of the country. In their message, they warn of the particularly dramatic situation of children: “In our country, Syria, for more than five years children are injured, traumatized, and killed by a cruel war. Many have lost their parents and all that was dear. Many children were born during the war and have never known peace. Their tears and sufferings cry to heaven.”
On Sunday, May 29, 2016, Pope Francis supported this initiative from Syria. The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (ACOHL) invites all Christians to join in this same prayer and encourage priests, educators and parents to arrange a time for prayer in solidarity with “our neighbors”, the Syrian children.
Below is the text of the prayer to recite on Wednesday, June 1 at noon, in communion with the children:
“O Christ, King of the universe,
we ask you to bless the
children of Syria.
You alone can
bring us peace.
We implore you:
Protect and save the children of this country!
Hear our prayers now!
Do not delay any longer
to bring peace to this land!
Look upon the children’s tears,
dry those of their mothers,
and do, finally, stop the cries of pain.
Amen.”
Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
