Tagle urges Nazareno devotees to pray for peace in Middle East

“Sa atin pong pagtitipon, na puno ng pananalangin, pasasalamat, atin pong alalahanin na sa ilang bahagi ng ating mundo ay nag-aamba ang panganib ng karahasan at harinawa huwag umuwi sa giyera, sa digmaan (As we hold our gathering with prayer and thanksgiving, let us remember that there is danger of unrest in some parts of the world. May this not escalate into war),” he said. (File Photo: Archdiocese of Manila – Office of Communications/Facebook)

MANILA — Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Thursday urged the faithful to pray for peace amid the continuing tensions in the Middle East.

In his homily during the midnight mass for the feast of the Black Nazarene, the cardinal asked the devotees to pray for peace to reign in the region.

“Sa atin pong pagtitipon, na puno ng pananalangin, pasasalamat, atin pong alalahanin na sa ilang bahagi ng ating mundo ay nag-aamba ang panganib ng karahasan at harinawa huwag umuwi sa giyera, sa digmaan (As we hold our gathering with prayer and thanksgiving, let us remember that there is danger of unrest in some parts of the world. May this not escalate into war),” he said.

“Ipanalangin po natin na maging ligtas ang ating mga kapwa sa Middle East, humupa ang mga pagnanais na sirain ang kapwa, humupa ang mga hangarin na maghiganti, at ipanalangin natin ang ating mga kapwa-Pilipino, ang kanilang mga pamilya dito, na nangangamba (Let us pray for the safety of our fellow Filipinos in the Middle East. May the desire to destroy one another ease. May the desire to seek revenge subside. Let us also pray for Filipinos and their families here who are currently worrying),” the head of the Archdiocese of Manila added.

The conflict stemmed from the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani on January 3. He was instrumental in Iran’s foreign policy in the Middle East over the last decade and was the commander of the Quds Force, Tehran’s elite overseas arm.

The Philippine government has ordered the evacuation of Filipino workers in Iraq amid the escalating tensions there.

On the other hand, Quiapo Church rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel, the presider of the fiesta mass expressed gratitude to Tagle, whose participation in this year’s celebration is seen to be his last as Manila archbishop.

“We will miss Cardinal Chito,” he said after the Eucharistic Celebration held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

“We lift you up, Cardinal Chito, to the kindness and goodness of Our Father Jesus Nazareno,” the Catholic priest added.

He was appointed as the Archbishop of Manila in 2011.

Last month, Pope Francis named the cardinal as the head of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, a Vatican office overseeing the church’s vast mission territories.

His installation as Prefect of the Dicastery is set early this year.