MESSAGE OF HIS BEATITUDE PETROS VII, POPE & PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA & ALL AFRICA FOR THE DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD

ASSISI, JANUARY 24TH, 2002

It is with great joy and brotherly love that we send you our warmest greetings from the See of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa.

In these times of war and terrorist attacks, times that are contrary to the spirit of God's love and peace, we turn our hearts and minds towards the Creator and seek His mercy and patience, so that peace and brotherly love will reign in this turmoil and much afflicted society of ours.

We, who believe in God's condescension and philanthropy, offer praise to Him and ask that He grant us His peace, for He is the fountain of peace and the salvation of man.

In doxologies and hymns we thank God, for He grants to all of us, in our human frailty, His abundant mercy, love and compassion. He is the one who gives us strength to live in unity and mutual understanding, which we especially need in these times of fear and disaster.

We give praise to God and ask Him to grant peace, love, equality and solidarity to people of different races and to those practicing different religious so we can see the peace of God reign in the hearts of us all.

We seek a society that consists of people of a different race, color, descent and language living in brotherly love. We seek a world where one upholds the sickness, trouble, weakness and imperfection of the other, so we can taste the benefits of peace, justice, love, philanthropy and equality.

In order to reach this kind of peace we need the mercy and presence of God, Who is the Master of Peace. Truly, He is the peace among us. He is the One Who can bestow in the depths of our hearts the real and eternal peace, the light and life. May those who govern us learn His way, a way of perfect co-operation, of acceptance of all of us who live in this world, so that we may live in a world free of any oppression, injustice, war, race discrimination and discomfort.

We toil and work all day and night to aid man and to respect his dignity. We are against war. We do not want to see man suffering from war as it can only bring hate and disaster.

We pray to the Lord to illuminate the hearts and minds of our leaders so that the holy and life-giving spirit of God may bring the peace and grace to people in the world.

We beseech our Lord and God, the Governor of the whole universe, to grant peace, love, justice, equality and fraternity among people in this New Year.

Live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians, 13:11).