OT: Prayers for the Holy Land

[E.C.]

This is not a politics thread, nor political discussion, rather it is one on humanity.

A friend of mine grew up in a kibbutz outside of the Gaza Strip which was attacked over the weekend. Thank God their parents, siblings, and, nieces and nephews are safe. Unfortunately, many of their friends whom they grew up with were either killed or are presently among those who were abducted by Hamas. Their whereabouts and whether they are still alive or not are unknown.

Having studied both sides of this conflict, there are no truly innocent parties except for the civilians - even us Orthodox Christians likely share a burden of the evil because one of our own founded a terrorist organization that has contributed, and continues, to this conflict since at least the 1960s. For all of the evil things that the Israelis and Palestinians have done to each other this is the first time, to my knowledge, that either side has kidnapped children.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem along with the other heads of the Christians in the Holy Land call for peace: THE PATRIARCHS AND HEADS OF CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM UNITE IN A CALL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AMIDST UNFOLDING VIOLENCE


I think that we should at least, once again, add peace in the Holy Land to our prayer lists; especially for the little ones who have been kidnapped, killed, and massacred.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[Nick1000]

Everything in Gaza is obviously at risk of being destroyed in the months ahead.

However, it is unfortunate to see fake reports circulating already about what has and has not happened- clearly an attempt to whip up the madness and frenzy even more. There is plenty to go around already.

That does not help.

Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrios in Gaza Not Bombed

Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrios in Gaza Bombed - GreekReporter.com

The 1,600-year-old Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrios in the Gaza Strip is reportedly bombed, resulting in casualties.

greekreporter.com

 

[ArseniusTheSilent]

Lord have mercy!

 

[ArmyMatt]

continued prayers!

 

[ArseniusTheSilent]

We are deeply grieved by the news coming from the suffering Middle East. We mourn the souls taken during the recent tragic events. May God’s embrace comfort the grieving families.

Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with the civilians, who experience painful moments of anguish, terrorized by the eerie sound of the sirens and the imminent threat of the explosions, and especially with all the innocent children, who deserve to get raised in a truly “Promised Land” of peace and prosperity.

Amid anger and destruction, amid evil and bitterness, human beings are easily tempted to think and to act violently. While many deem violence as a necessary means of dispute resolution, we can never see it as part of God’s good creation, nor can we ever approve the use of violence to pursue peace. Instead, we must look back to the “good” that God first created and the perfect peace to which he desires us to go, exhorting with the Psalmist: “Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Besides, the struggle for peace is not only a divine commandment, but also a universal value and an essential precondition for the respect and protection of human dignity.​

+ B A R T H O L O M E W​

By God’s Mercy​

Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch​

To the Plenitude of the Church​

May our merciful Lord continue to comfort our world!​

 

[RileyG]

continued prayers for all those affected

 

[ChurchBuilder]

This is not a politics thread, nor political discussion, rather it is one on humanity.

A friend of mine grew up in a kibbutz outside of the Gaza Strip which was attacked over the weekend. Thank God their parents, siblings, and, nieces and nephews are safe. Unfortunately, many of their friends whom they grew up with were either killed or are presently among those who were abducted by Hamas. Their whereabouts and whether they are still alive or not are unknown.

Having studied both sides of this conflict, there are no truly innocent parties except for the civilians - even us Orthodox Christians likely share a burden of the evil because one of our own founded a terrorist organization that has contributed, and continues, to this conflict since at least the 1960s. For all of the evil things that the Israelis and Palestinians have done to each other this is the first time, to my knowledge, that either side has kidnapped children.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem along with the other heads of the Christians in the Holy Land call for peace: THE PATRIARCHS AND HEADS OF CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM UNITE IN A CALL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AMIDST UNFOLDING VIOLENCE


I think that we should at least, once again, add peace in the Holy Land to our prayer lists; especially for the little ones who have been kidnapped, killed, and massacred.

Let us Pray to God that the People (non-government) finally become self-aware and analyze the Causal Factors on WHY this is happening to them, and WHY it has happened for many many years, and perhaps Finally, under the Grace of God, they will recognize their own Power and their own responsibility to govern themselves under God, follow God's Commandments, abide by Universal Objective Morality and to INSIST that their leaders Do the Same. Amen.

 

[Nick1000]

‘War knows no religion’: Gaza’s oldest church shelters Muslims, Christians​

Gaza City – When an Israeli air raid destroyed Walaa Sobeh’s house and much of her neighbourhood, the Palestinian Muslim sought shelter in Gaza’s oldest church.

At the Church of Saint Porphyrius, she found not just sanctuary, but a feeling of belonging to “one family” — united by both the terror of bombs exploding around them and a hope that they could survive Israel’s attacks.

So she telephoned other relatives in north Gaza and asked them to make their way to the church, too. Sobeh and her family are among hundreds of Palestinians across different faiths who have found safety — at least for now — at the church.

At a time when the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza have sparked a surge in Islamophobia in parts of the world, the Greek Orthodox church has emerged as an emblem of a deeper identity as Palestinians.

“We are here living the day, not sure if we can make it to the night. But what eases our pain is the humble and warm spirit of everyone around,” Sobeh said. She described receiving “enormous support from the priests and other people in the church who volunteer tirelessly around the clock to help the displaced families”.

So far, the church has escaped Israeli missiles.

“The Israeli military has bombed many places of sanctuary,” said Father Elias, a priest at Saint Porphyrius, adding that he was “not sure that Israel won’t bomb the church”, even though it provides shelter for hundreds of civilians.

Israeli bombs have hit several mosques and schools sheltering people whose homes have been blown up.

Any strike on the church “would not only be an attack on religion, which is a vile deed, but also an attack on humanity”, Father Elias said. “Our humanity calls us to offer peace and warmth to everyone in need.”




Palestinian Orthodox Christians attend Christmas mass at the Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City on January 7, 2023 [Mohammed Saber/EPA]© Provided by Al Jazeera

A place of solace​

Built between the 1150s and 1160s, and named after the 5th-century bishop of Gaza, Saint Porphyrius has provided solace for generations of Palestinians in Gaza, especially in times of fear.

And while the cries of children and those distraught by continuing to live in Gaza under Israeli bombardment now echo in a space once filled with prayers and hymns, there is hope.

Today, the church’s ancient yards and sheltered corridors offer shelter to both Muslims and Christians alike, “as war knows no religion”, Father Elias said.



Palestinian Christians attend Palm Sunday mass in a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, on Sunday, April 9, 2023 [Fatima Shbair/AP Photo]© Provided by Al Jazeera

‘Together as Palestinians, Muslims and Christians’​

George Shabeen, a Palestinian Christian and a father of four sheltering in the church with his family, said they had nowhere else to go; their streets had been targeted by three Israeli air raids.

“Coming here saved our lives,” he told Al Jazeera. “During the night, we huddle together, Muslims and Christians, old and young, and pray for safety and peace.”

To Sobeh, the fact that families of different religions are together under the church’s roofs amid the trauma of the bombing is in itself an act of resistance.

“Israel’s purpose is to shatter our community and displace us,” she added, her voice shaking. “They might be able to kill us. But we will continue to be together as Palestinians, dead and alive, Muslims and Christians.”

MSN

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[ArseniusTheSilent]

Total Devastation: Images of survivors picking through the rubble of the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza, the world's 3rd oldest Christian building. Four Israeli missiles hit the building tonight. Church authorities estimate there are already 150 dead.

My apologies. I got duped by fake news post elsewhere.

Lord have mercy!

 

[prodromos]

Lord have mercy.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[Dewi Sant]

Monastic buildings adjoining the church have certainly been reduced to rubble. I do not know about the church building itself, but the photographs look quite terrible.

 

[The Liturgist]

I am really upset about this, just as I was upset when the Church of the Nativity and the adjacent Syriac Orthodox St. Mary’s Church in Bethlehem were caught in the crossfire between alleged terrorists and Israeli security forces in 2002.

 

[Nick1000]

Former US Congressman's Family Members Killed in Gaza Church Blast​

Former Congressman Justin Amash announced on Friday that several of his relatives were killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a Greek Orthodox church in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian health officials said 16 people were killed during the overnight strike that hit Gaza City's St. Porphyrios Orthodox Church. The church did not announce a death toll from the incident, but it expressed its "strongest condemnation" for the strike.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged in a statement to Newsweek that it was responsible for damage to the church and added that it "can unequivocally state that the Church was not the target of the strike."

MSN

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[prodromos]

Total Devastation: Images of survivors picking through the rubble of the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza, the world's 3rd oldest Christian building. Four Israeli missiles hit the building tonight. Church authorities estimate there are already 150 dead.

My apologies. I got duped by fake news post elsewhere.

Lord have mercy!

This is the story from Reuters, 16 dead.

Orthodox church says it was hit by Israeli air strike in Gaza

A Greek Orthodox church in the Gaza Strip which was sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians was hit overnight by an Israeli air strike, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, and Palestinian health officials said 16 people were killed.

www.reuters.com

The response from the Jerusalem Patriarchate

THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM CONDEMNS ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES TARGETING HUMANITARIAN INSTITUTIONS IN GAZA

Jerusalem, October 19, 2023 The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expresses its strongest condemnation of the Israeli airstrike that have struck its church compound in the city of Gaza. The Patriarchate emphasizes that targeting churches and their institutions, along with the shelters th

en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info

 

[FenderTL5]

Lord have mercy.