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 raised in unison asking for prayers and for peace as the escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to tip the region into further turmoil.

Speaking to Vatican News on Tuesday afternoon, Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land said “Already by 5 PM, we had received the order not to open the schools tomorrow, then, around 7 PM, all the friars of Jerusalem were gathered in the Church of San Salvatore for Vespers during the Triduum for the Feast of St. Francis when the sirens started to sound, and we heard loud explosions.”

“We rushed outside and saw the bright trails, both from the rockets intercepted by the Iron Dome and—most of them—flying over Jerusalem, targeting military bases in the Negev to the south. Shortly after, a second wave came. Now there’s an eerie silence over the whole city. People are very afraid, fearing it could happen again if Israel retaliates.”

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

His appeal came as Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Tel Aviv’s attack on Lebanon to pursue Hezbollah militia, an Iranian ally.

May diplomacy prevail

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

Speaking to Vatican News, he said all the Franciscans in Jerusalem have been invited to observe safety precautions and stay inside. He said they are all gathered to pray that “this folly, on one side and the other, may end and that peace may return.”

“Instead of allowing weapons to talk, let the voice of diplomacy be 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 cover in bomb shelters. Many of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defence system, while some fell in central and southern Israel, according to the Israeli military.

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