(Vatican Radio) Religious communities all over the world have welcomed and engaged
in Pope Francis' call to pray and to fast for peace in Syria.
Amongst them
the Franciscan Friars in Assisi who immediately, following the Pope's call for prayer
and fasting on Sunday, have exceptionally opened the Lower Church of the Basilica
of St. Francis in Assisi until 10 pm each evening to allow people to pray on the Tomb
of St. Francis.
As Franciscan Conventual Friar Charles Baldacchino told Vatican
Radio's Linda Bordoni, the Friars will also be joining in a special prayer vigil on
Saturday 7th in communion with Pope Francis who has invited all men and women of goodwill
to join him in a prayer for peace in St. Peter's Square.
Listen to the
interview with Father Charles Baldacchino...
Father Charles
explains that the initiative to keep the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis
open for prayer beyond its usual opening hours, was taken after the Pope's appeal
on Sunday after the Angelus Prayer.
The Pope - he says - expressed himself
in a very strong way about the tremendous situation in Syria, so the Friars, together
with their director decided to keep the Tomb open after Vespers to give everyone the
possibility of going there to pray.
He says he was there himself and described
the situation as silent and prayerful, and very full of faithful. "There are some
Scripture readings and some hymns and then at 10 the benediction"
Speaking
of the Saturday prayer vigil at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli just below
the town of Assisi, which will be conducted by the Franciscan Minors, Father Charles
says it was called for by the Bishop of Assisi Domenico Sorrentino.
Every Saturday
- Father Charles says - "there is a sort of pilgrimage at Santa Maria degli Angeli
with a small statue of Our Lady, and the Archbishop has asked that we all gather -
that is priests, friars, monks, sisters and laypeople in a sort of a night vigil to
pray and of course to fast. In fact on Saturday it happens that our novices are going
to take their first vows in the morning, but it was decided it will equally be a day
of fasting, it will be a day of prayer with the Pope and with all people of good will".
Father
Charles also thinks back to all the Pope's who have come to Assisi to pray for peace,
from Blessed John Paul II and then Pope Benedict XVI, who repeatedly turned to Assisi
and to the message of St. Francis in moments of crisis, asking people to really live
peace just as St. Francis did. "So, we should pray and believe in peace because this
is what our Lord came to teach us and as his followers we should live it and make
it true".