Tagle prays for peace as tension escalates in Middle East

MANILA, Philippines — In front of thousands of devotees of the Black Nazarene, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle on early Thursday morning offered a moment of silence to remember and pray for peace in the Middle East.

During a Holy Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, Tagle expressed hope that the escalating tension in the Middle East would not end in war.

“Sa ating pagtitipon na puno ng pananalangin [at] pasasalamat, atin pong alalahanin na sa ibang bahagi ng ating mundo ay nag-aamba ang panganib ng karahasan, at hari nawa huwag umuwi sa gitera, sa digmaan,” Tagle said.

[In our gathering full of prayers and thanks, let us remember that in other parts of the world, there is danger of violence, and hopefully, this would not end up in war.)

“Ipanalangin po natin na maging ligtas ang ating mga kapwa sa Middle East, humupa ang mga pagnanaiis na sirain ang kapwa, humupa ang mga hangarin na maghiganti,” he added.

[Let us pray that our fellowmen in the Middle East are safe, and for the need to ruin others to subside, for the intention for revenge to subside.]

Tagle likewise asked the public to pray for Filipinos in Middle East and for their families who are left worried here in the Philippines.

“Inaanyayahan ko kayo na tumahimik ng sandali at mag-alay ng panalangin para sa kapayapaan,” Tagle said.

[I am inviting everyone to offer a moment of silence and offer a prayer for peace.]

On Wednesday, Iran reportedly launched a missle attack on an Iraqi airbase where US and coalition forces are based.

READ: Iran retaliates with missiles in ’slap’ at US bases in Iraq

This came after the US launched an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, that killed Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani.

President Rodrigo Duterte has since ordered the military to prepare its air and naval assets for the possible repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East.

/atm