Vatican City, Oct 18, 2023 / 13:08 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis at the end of his general audience on Wednesday morning announced another day of prayer and fasting for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
“I have decided to call for a day of fasting and prayer on Friday, Oct. 27,” the pope said.
It will be “a day of penance to which I invite sisters and brothers of the various Christian denominations, those belonging to other religions, and all those who have at heart the cause of peace in the world, to join in as they see fit,” the Holy Father continued.
The vigil will take place at 6 p.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful will join the pope to participate in “an hour of prayer in a spirit of penance to implore peace in our time, peace in this world. I ask all the particular Churches to participate by arranging similar activities involving the people of God,” the pope said.
The Holy Father’s announcement comes after the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, called for a global day of prayer and fasting, which was held on Oct. 17, “to deliver to God the Father our thirst for peace, justice, and reconciliation.”
The Holy Father’s announcement was preceded by his renewed appeal for peace in the Holy Land.
“Our thoughts turn to Palestine and Israel,” the pope said. “The number of victims is rising and the situation in Gaza is desperate. Please, let everything possible be done to avoid a humanitarian disaster. The possible widening of the conflict is disturbing, while so many war fronts are already open in the world. May weapons be silenced, and let us heed the cry for peace of the poor, the people, the children.”
“Brothers and sisters, war does not solve any problem: It sows only death and destruction, foments hate, proliferates revenge. War cancels out the future, it cancels out the future. I urge believers to take just one side in this conflict: that of peace. But not in words — in prayer, with total dedication,” he concluded.
The Holy Father’s comments come as the death toll continues to rise in the conflict-ridden area. The United Nations issued a press release on Tuesday evening stating that “a staggering” 4,200 people have been killed and “over 1 million people [have been] displaced in just 10 days.”
Israel was blamed by Hamas after a Tuesday evening blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City left an estimated death toll of nearly 500, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli government has denied these allegations, blaming it instead on Hamas. Several Arab states have joined Hamas in condemning Israel.
An immediate wave of anger and condemnation spread across the Middle East, with some calls for further protests and even “a day of rage,” Al-Jazeera reported.
This escalation and mounting humanitarian crisis comes as U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Israel Wednesday morning to engage in high-level talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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It is impossible for you to claim I am anti-Semitic for using the name of Israel in what I say.
Israel knows it does not want to confess the blame for these crimes. Israel believes these criminal acts are necessary until the Messiah comes and that when he comes, he will ratify the actions and they will not be crimes or sins. But Israel has it deep in its breast the evil it has done.
Who told them so is Jesus Christ. Christ the Messiah come already and laid all that bare so that such manners and affairs could never be hidden again. He brought it to light; declared what it is; witnessed against it; sealed it as evil; and called everyone out of it. Israel is surpassed.
The non-confession of Israel is YET ANOTHER CRIME and Israel’s belief that it is “a special blessing on Israel to do evil” and that Israel is “not called out of these evils”, IS MORE CRIME. As well they are the gravest of sin in the sight of the YAHWEH GOD condemning not saving who do them.
In the Name of Jesus Christ may these evils be banished from your midst, you Jew.
You can not bomb civilians to “get at” terrorists whether or not you are saying it is “war”.
My religion teaches me that, wherever there is distress which one can not remove, one must fast and pray – Mahatma Gandhi
Interview video
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/josh-paul-655a25263_it-has-been-a-whirlwind-of-a-day-and-the-activity-7120912290517819393-mbFx
Resignation letter
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/josh-paul-655a25263_explaining-my-resignation-activity-7120512510645952512-APhR?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Source 1 CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/state-department-official-resigns-israel-gaza/index.html
Source 2 RT
https://www.rt.com/news/585396-state-department-resignation-israel/