Custody of Holy Land: ‘Pray for us and all innocent people suffering in absurd war’

By Linda Bordoni

The voices of Church leaders in the Holy Land are being raised in unison for prayers and peace as escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to plunge the region into further unrest.

Speaking to Vatican News on Tuesday afternoon, Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, said: “Already at 5 p.m. we had received the order not to open schools tomorrow, then, around 7 p.m., all the brothers of Jerusalem were gathered in the church of San Salvatore for the vespers of the triduum of the feast of Saint Francis when the sirens began to sound and we heard loud explosions.

“We rushed outside and saw the trails of light, both from rockets intercepted by Iron Dome and – mostly – flying over Jerusalem, aimed at military bases in the Negev to the south. Shortly after, a second wave arrived. There is now a strange silence throughout the city. People are very afraid, fearing that this will happen again if Israel retaliates. »

Asking for prayers, Father Faltas said: “It will be a night of anxiety and for us, of intense prayer. Please pray for us and all the innocent people suffering from this senseless war. »

His call comes as Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Tel Aviv’s attack on Lebanon to pursue the Hezbollah militia, an ally of Iran.

Let diplomacy prevail

Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, Custodian of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, also expressed his hope that diplomacy could prevail over the madness of war.

Speaking to Vatican News, he said all Franciscans in Jerusalem have been asked to observe safety precautions and stay indoors. He said they are all gathered to pray that “this madness, on both sides, will end and peace will return.”

“Instead of letting weapons speak, let’s make the voice of diplomacy heard,” he said.

On Tuesday, Israel pounded Lebanon from the air as its troops advanced on the ground and Hezbollah fired rockets deep into Israel, forcing millions of Israelis to take shelter in bomb shelters. Many of the missiles were intercepted by the Israeli air defense system, while some fell in central and southern Israel, according to the Israeli military.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a message on X on Tuesday evening: “I condemn the widening conflict in the Middle East with escalation after escalation. This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.