Representatives of the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches and migrants joined in a prayer for all refugees at Epano Skala in Mytilini on Tuesday afternoon.
The event included local priests, members of the Catholic Church humanitarian organization Sant’ Egidio, and Bishop of Amorion Nikephoros representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The event was held by the statue of a refugee mother depicting the Asia Minor disaster of a century ago, as well as in an area with black and white photographs from that event and color ones from recent migration waves.
A representative of Sant’ Egidio said, “We want to retain the memory of all victims of the past and present in the travels of hope. Our present prayer related to the new tragedy in Afghanistan, and the countless refugees between Mexico and the United States, between Myanmar and Bagladesh, in Ethiopia, Yemen, Eritrea, the entire world. We are praying so these trips transform from deaths to hope in a world of hope. We pray so that Europe may remain humane and find itself again.”
Brief addresses were delivered by Nikephoros and by Metropolitan of Mytilini Iacovos. The attendees then placed wreaths at the statue of the Asia Minor Mother.
Source:ANA-MPA