November 17 2008 09:30 | Hilton Cyprus - Achera Hall
Panel 6 - Prayer as a Source of Peace
Chairperson
Ole Christian Mælen Kvarme
Lutheran Bishop, Norway
Contributions
Georgios
Othodox Metropolitan, Church of Cyprus
Wahiduddin Khan
Director of the Islamic Center of New Delhi, India
Arie Zeev Raskin
Rabbi of Larnaca, Cyprus
Abuna Paulos
Patriarch of the orthodox Church of Ethiopia
Armand Puig I Tàrrech
Catholic Theologian, Spain
Jews, Muslims and Christians of different denominations confront each others in Cyprus at the Sant'Egidio Meeting on the prayer. The violence seems sometimes the master of the world, but the faiths can work to cure the world. The friends of the peace don't care for themselves but for the ill world and they pray God so that He cures it.
According to Armand Puig, "the violence is a disease of the heart which can not speak and only listens to himself. The prayer founds the peace because it is listening, teach the friendship with God and inspires the dialoge among people".
The Ethiopian Patriarch Abuna Paulos, on the end of the Menghistu autocratic regime, rimembered that women and men crowded the churches in Addis Abeba, and the town was saved from the destruction.
THe Rabbin Raskin rimembered that the prayer for peace is always supported by an hard work to be it possible. "Prayer is not ringing the bell to automatically have what you desire" - Raskin said.
The Norwegian Lutheran Bishop Kvarme rimembered the prayer of Francis of Assisi: "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love".
