ASIA/IRAQ - Chaldean Patriarch proposes three days of fasting to ask refugees to return to their homes

Friday, 12 December 2014

Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - Fasting, prayer and penance in the three days before Christmas and the invitation to give up parties with music and dancing at Christmas and New Year: these are the acts of penance that Patriarch Louis Raphael I proposes to all the faithful of the Chaldean Church to invoke the release of Mosul and Nineveh Plain and to demonstrate concrete closeness and solidarity to all Iraqi refugees, forced to leave the cities and villages which have fallen under the control of the jihadists of the Islamic State (IS).
"During Advent - writes the Primate of the Chaldean Church in a message sent to Agenzia Fides - we prepare for Christmas by fasting, prayer, penance and works of charity".
His Beatitude Louis Raphael I Sako asks "all the sons and daughters" of the Chaldean Church to fast from Monday 22 until the evening of 24 December, to invoke from the Lord the gift of release of Mosul and the Nineveh plain, so that all the refugees "return safely to their homes, to their work and to their schools". In his message, Patriarch Sako is confident that "Christ will hear our prayers".
In addition, the Primate of the Chaldean Church suggests Christians not to organize parties with music and dancing at Christmas and New Year. He instead invites everyone to support initiatives of solidarity to be addressed to the brothers and sisters in need. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 12/12/2014)


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