Catholic Churches in Archdiocese to Observe Day of Prayer for Peace in Syria Saturday, September 7

Pope Francis calls on Catholics worldwide to observe day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria, throughout the world.

Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, today is calling on Catholics throughout the Archdiocese to join Pope Francis and Catholics throughout the world in observing a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria on Saturday, September 7, 2013. On Sunday, Pope Francis designated September 7 a day of worldwide day of prayer and fasting.

In a letter to priests and all registered Catholic families in the Archdiocese, Archbishop Lori is inviting Catholics to visit any Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Saturday during the hours of 1-6 p.m.—the same time when Pope Francis will be leading a prayer vigil in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome—to pray for peace in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and throughout the world.

Archbishop Lori will celebrate Masses that day at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in North Baltimore and at 5:15 p.m. at St. Mary’s in Hagerstown. In addition, all Catholic churches have been asked to ring church bells for two minutes Saturday at noon and to offer special prayers for peace at Masses that day.

“Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to hear words of hope and peace,” Pope Francis said when he announced the day of prayer. “All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace…peace is a good which overcomes every barrier, because it belongs to all of humanity.”