From http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_VATICAN_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-09-07-17-17-36
VATICAN CITY
(AP) -- Tens of thousands of people filled St. Peter's Square for a
four-hour Syria peace vigil late Saturday, answering Pope Francis' call
for a grassroots cry for peace that was echoed by Christians and
non-Christians alike in Syria and in vigils around the world.
The
Vatican estimated about 100,000 took part in the Rome event, making it
one of the largest rallies in the West against proposed U.S.-led
military action against the Syrian regime following the Aug. 21 chemical
weapons attack near Damascus.
Francis spent
most of the vigil in silent prayer, but during his speech he issued a
heartfelt plea for peace, denouncing those who are "captivated by the
idols of dominion and power" and destroy God's creation through war.
"This
evening, I ask the Lord that we Christians, and our brothers and
sisters of other religions and every man and woman of good will, cry out
forcefully: Violence and war are never the way to peace!" he said.
"May the noise of weapons cease!" he said. "War always marks the failure of peace, it is always a defeat for humanity."
In
Damascus, a few dozen Syrian Christians attended a service in the
al-Zaytoun Church, joining Francis' invitation for a global
participation in the day of fasting and prayer and to oppose outside
military intervention in the conflict.
Greek
Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III Laham of Antioch and All East presided,
saying most countries supported a political solution to the crisis in
Syria and few wanted military action. "This is the start of the
victory," he told the Damascus faithful. "No to war. Yes for peace."
In
Washington, at least 150 protesters picketed in front of the White
House and marched to Capitol Hill to voice their opposition to a U.S.
military strike in Syria. Anti-war protests were also held in other
U.S. cities, including one in New York City's Times Squares and a prayer
vigil in Boston that echoed Saturday's massive gathering at the
Vatican.
Medea Benjamin, a founder of the
anti-war group Code Pink, said a cross-section of Americans, many of
whom disagree on a variety of issues, are united against military
intervention.
"We have suddenly found
ourselves united as Americans, overwhelmingly saying we will not let you
drag us into another war," Benjamin shouted into a megaphone in front
of the White House.
Francis announced the day
of fasting and prayer Sept. 1, alarmed at the acceleration of U.S.
threats to strike Syria after the chemical weapons attack.
Since
then, the Vatican has ramped up its peace message, summoning
ambassadors for a briefing by the Holy See foreign minister this week.
Francis appealed directly to world powers at the Group of 20 meeting in
Russia, urging them to abandon the "futile pursuit" of a military
solution in Syria and work instead for a negotiated settlement.
Bishops
around the world joined Francis in the daylong fast and organized
similar vigils in their home dioceses. In Francis' native Argentina,
human rights and religious groups held a vigil in Buenos Aires' Plaza de
Mayo and in cities across the country. Vatican Radio reported similar
initiatives were taking place throughout Italy, in Cuba and elsewhere.
Even the grand mufti of Damascus, who thanked the pope for his
initiative in a letter earlier this week, invited Muslims to join the
fast in solidarity.
Vatican officials have
stressed that Saturday's event was religious, not political. But the
gathering nevertheless took on the air of an anti-war rally, with
protesters holding up Syrian flags and banners in the square reading
"Don't attack Syria" and "Obama you don't have a dream, you have a
nightmare." A few rainbow "Peace" flags fluttered in the breeze.
But
by the time the vigil got underway, the posters and flags had mainly
disappeared as a more religious tone took over, with leaders from a
variety of Christian and non-Christian denominations joining cardinals,
politicians and ordinary folk for the evening of prayer, hymns and
meditation.
"This is already a success, the
fact that all of us are here, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, atheists," a
Hindu believer named Anata said. Pilgrims "made an effort to fast, not
to do many things, and come here from all over Italy and Europe. This is
already a success."
The pope entered the
square from the basilica steps, foregoing his usual high-spirited drive
through in his open car - an indication of the sobriety of the evening,
which capped a day of fasting for the pontiff.
The
76-year-old pope held up well throughout the four hours - lasting
longer than many who by the vigil's 11 p.m. conclusion had already gone
home. He thanked those who had stayed to the end for their company, and
wished them a good night's sleep.
The peace
vigil marked something of a novelty for the Vatican: Nothing of its kind
has ever taken place in St. Peter's Square, though popes past have
participated in daylong peace prayers in places like Assisi, known for
its peace-loving native son and the pope's namesake, St. Francis.
That's
not to say popes haven't taken vigorous anti-war positions in the past:
Pope Paul VI famously uttered the words "War never again, never again
war" at the United Nations in 1965 as the Vietnam War raged, a refrain
that has been repeated by every pope since. Pope John Paul II sent an
envoy to President George W. Bush on the eve of the 2003 U.S.-led
invasion of Iraq urging him to stand down - to no avail.
Francis
has condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but has been
careful not to lay blame on any one side, exhorting world leaders
instead to focus on the plight of Syrian civilians and the need in
general to end the violence.
Other church
officials, both at the Vatican and in dioceses, have been more pointed
in their criticism of any internationalization of the conflict, saying
U.S.-French military strikes will only exacerbate the situation for
civilians, particularly Christian minorities.
