The Diocese of Antipolo will be conducting a Weekly Holy Hour for Peace, focusing on the special intention of fostering peace amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
In a pastoral letter dated June 24, Bishop Ruperto Santos invited the clergy, religious communities, and lay faithful to participate in the Holy Hour for Peace, which will take place every Thursday starting June 26, 2025.
The Catholic prelate expressed deep concern over current global events, particularly in the Middle East, where innocent civilians are suffering greatly. “While the Diocese of Antipolo is geographically distant from these battle-scarred places, our Christian duty binds us to the global Body of Christ. The pain of one is the concern of all. And prayer is our most potent act of peace-building,” he stated.
Bishop Santos specifically appealed to priests and those involved in liturgical ministry, urging them to prepare their communities and lead them in this united diocesan act of intercession. “I particularly appeal to our priests and the ministry of liturgy: please prepare your communities and lead them in this united diocesan act of intercession,” he added.
He emphasized that uniting the Christian community in prayer is “an important step to touch the hearts, especially of the leaders of the conflicting countries, to come to an agreement in dialogue and to foster forgiveness towards peace.”
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in hundreds of deaths, primarily among civilians, with thousands more injured, according to reports. The crisis is also anticipated to lead to increases in oil prices in the global market, which will subsequently affect the prices of goods and services.
Pope Leo XIV has previously called for the promotion of calm dialogue between Israel and Iran to resolve misunderstandings and to jointly promote unity and peace.
