On Thursday, November 11, 2010 a Prayer Service for the suffering Christian Community of Iraq took place at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Catholic Church. The prayer vigil in remembrance of the 58 Christians murdered and 75 injured during an Oct. 31 attack on Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad during Sunday Mass was organized by the archdiocese of Toronto and its Office of Ecumenism and Interfaith Affairs.
The Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Collins and faith leaders from 20 different denominations were joined by hundreds of faithful in ecumenical service.
Bishop Yousif Habash, bishop of the Syro-Catholic communities of the United States and Canada had a clear message to the people of Iraq about establishing peace and to reject hatred and violence, because hatred and violence do not lead anywhere other than to hardship.
The prayer vigil in remembrance of the 58 Christians murdered and 75 injured during an Oct. 31 attack on Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad during Sunday Mass was organized by the archdiocese of Toronto and its Office of Ecumenism and Interfaith Affairs.
Rev. Archpriest Zareh and Yeretsgin Naira Zaragarian, Mr. & Mrs. Ohan & Anita Ohanessian represented the Armenian Orthodox church of Toronto in this event. Being acquainted with many Armenian families from Iraq, Fr. Zareh was deeply saddened by the pain and loss of Christian families of Iraq.
Unfortunately, practicing our faith, gathering for prayer is not a safe and easy thing to do in some parts of the world. Those who are being executed for their beliefs should not be left alone and they need our support as a big Christian community. Let’s pray for the peace and safety of our brothers and sisters. We ask our Lord Almighty for the end of violence all over the world, especially in the Middle East.