Following the Pope’s appeal to the world to pray for peace as the war in Lebanon and the Middle East continues to rage on, Kenya’s Catholic bishops have responded to the call by uniting to organise a National Day of Prayer for Peace in the Middle East.

|TOP|Speaking on behalf of the bishops, Fr Vincent Wambugu, Secretary-General of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, said that the Kenya Episcopal conference was joining the Vatican and people of goodwill to pray for the restoration of peace in the Holy Land.

"(The) Kenya Episcopal Conference joins the Holy Father in calling upon all Catholics and people of goodwill to pray for the restoration of peace in Holy Land. KEC supports the Holy Father's initiative and invites all to pray for this worthy cause,” he said.

He went on to say that Catholic bishops in Kenya would have a special day of prayer in all the dioceses, during which all Catholics and people of goodwill across the country are invited to unite in a peace prayer for the Middle East.

The date of the national prayer day will be announced on Tuesday the 25th of July, after the Kenya Episcopal Conference Permanent Council meeting.

Roman Catholic Head, Pope Benedict XVI has given his full support to the communiqué issued by the G8 calling for an end to violence in the Middle East. He in turn asked all believers to pray for peace.

|AD|Last week, on his return from a visit to the convent on the Great Saint Bernard mountain in the Alps, the Holy Father unexpectedly responded to questions from journalists waiting for him near his residents.

One of the reporters asked him: "What must the international community do in this increasingly tragic situation?"

The Pope responded: "I am in complete agreement with the communiqué of the G-8. I think it indicates the path."

"I have nothing to add, other than to recall the importance of prayer so that God will help us and grant us peace," added the Pontiff.

The statement, approved on July 16 by the G8 leaders, gathered in St. Petersburg, Russia, appeals to Israel, to the Palestinians and to the Hezbollah militia to suspend their armed operations and release the captured soldiers and detained Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians.

Whilst praying the Angelus in Les Combes, the village where he was enjoying a time of rest, the Holy Father said that, "At the origin of these cruel oppositions there are, sadly, objective situations of violation of law and justice."

"But neither terrorist acts nor reprisals, above all when there are tragic consequences for the civilian population, can be justified," he said. "On such paths -- as bitter experience demonstrates -- one does not arrive at positive results."




[Editor's Note: Mariah Ngutu reported from Nairobi, Kenya, and Daniel Blake from London, England for this article]




Mariah Ngutu & Daniel Blake
Christian Today Correspondents