D.C. Christians answer Pope Francis’s call for peace vigil

on September 10, 2013

As the United States Congress mulls over President Barack Obama’s request for authorization of military action against Syria, many Christian voices have come out strongly against a U.S. military strike. Mainline Protestant denominations such as the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and the Presbyterian Church USA, are asking members to contact their representatives in opposition to military action. A poll of evangelical pastors found that a whopping 62% oppose military action in Syria, while Christians leaders as ideologically diverse as the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins and Sojourner’s Jim Wallis have voiced skepticism about the proposed strike.

But perhaps the strongest opposition has come from Pope Francis and the Catholic Church. Last week, the Pope came out strongly against Western intervention and announced a vigil for peace in Syria. “I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world…” the Holy Father said, “I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative.”

Answering the Pope’s call were members of Washington, D.C.’s Catholic community. The Catholic lay group the Community of Sant’Egidio held a vigil for peace at Saint Stephen Martyr Catholic Church on Pennsylvania Avenue, about a mile away from the White House. For one hour, vigil-keepers prayed and sang hymns for peace in Syria and for an end to war on Earth.

The introduction to the vigil was a reading of Pope Francis’ Sunday remarks, calling for peace in Syria and condemning the use of chemical weapons. But while condemning the use of chemical weapons, the Pope made clear that further violence was not the answer: “Never has the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets violence!” Other readings included remarks by Pope John Paul II and the Prayer of World Religions drafted by leading religious leaders in Sarajevo in 2012. Readings from Scripture included Isaiah and Jesus’ teaching of the Beatitudes.

The vigil ended with a silent prayer for the victims of war, followed by a lighting of candles for countries at war. The community prayed for Syria, but also for conflict in Afghanistan, Mali, Korea, Sudan, Egypt, and every other country afflicted with war.

Event organizer and member of the Community of Sant’Egidio Charles Gardner said it was important Christians hold events like the vigil. “When we pray we create a space for God to come and enter a place and begin to transform it.”

Gardner said that through prayer, D.C. Catholics stood in solidarity with the people in Syria: “When we pray here in D.C., we are opening our hearts to be in solidarity with people in Syria, to have this compassion.” However, he noted that the prayer wasn’t just symbolic. “Our prayer has real effect.”

The D.C. vigil was held concurrent with a five-hour vigil being held by Pope Francis in Rome. An estimated 100,000 people showed up to the Rome vigil, with some holding signs with slogans like “Hands off Syria” and “Don’t Attack Syria”. Hundreds of Syrian Christians also gathered at al-Zeitouna Church in Damascus to answer the Pope’s call. Elsewhere in Washington, a crowd of around 150 secular protesters met outside the White House.

The Senate was expected to take the first procedural steps to voting on the resolution authorizing a Syria strike yesterday, but those actions were postponed. President Obama plans to address the nation on Syria tonight at 9 PM EST.

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