Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor is to celebrate Mass in Westminster Cathedral, London, United Kingdom, (Monday 16 June, 2008, 5.30pm) in support of Iraqi Christians and all those still suffering violence in the country.
At a time when many of Iraq’s Christians have been forced to flee the volatile and dangerous situation in their homeland, the Mass will offer an opportunity for bishops and worshippers to come together to stand in solidarity with Iraq’s Christians.
Bishop Crispian Hollis, Bishop of Portsmouth, will be preaching at the Mass and Bishop Alan Hopes, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, with responsibility for Ethnic Chaplaincies, will concelebrate together with other Catholic bishops.
During the Mass, special prayers will be said for Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul who was killed in March 2008 having been kidnapped after leading prayers at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mosul, for Margaret Hassan and for the many others who have lost their lives in Iraq.
During the Mass, the Gospel will be sung in Arabic and the Our Father will be said in Aramaic – the language closest to Christ’s dialect.
