Inter-Religion Prayer Meeting in Zagreb

Zagreb (IKA) — This year’s International Prayer Meeting, at which Catholics together with members of other Christian churches and communities, Jews and Muslims prayed to God for peace and celebrated the Day of the Spirit of Assisi on Wednesday, October 27, in the Church of St. Francis in Zagreb. This inter-religion prayer for peace, in cooperation with the Commission for Ecumenicism and Dialogue of the Zagreb Archdiocese, was organized by the local Brotherhood of the Franciscan Lay Order. After words of greeting from the organizer, representatives of the religious communities presented brief reflections on the topic of peace, followed by a prayer and song in the tradition of each of the religious communities.

The Imam of Zagreb, Mevludin Arslani, spoke of the concept of peace in Islam in light of the Koran, pointing out that the establishment of peace is one of the most important goals of all religions, and Islam is no exception. Stating that the establishment and keeping of peace must be the goal of mankind, the Rev. Arslani noted that Islam also stipulates ceremonies and religious obligations that train and perfect the human soul, and a person who achieves inner peace must act accordingly in society.
The pastor of the Evangelical Church, Daniel Berković, explained that a person cannot be a peacemaker if he does not have peace within himself. “Peace in myself is also the only path to peace for others,” said Pastor Berković. He noted that many rulers had mouths full of peace, so that they were spokesmen for peace, but were not necessarily also peacemakers. He commented that it is certain that we have no shortage of spokespersons for peace in the world, but lack those who promote peace, those who are less vocal, the quiet makers of peace.
Pointing out that there is no peace without justice or justice without forgiveness, Branko Berić of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church urged the representatives of the religious communities to allow their hearts to draw closer to each other in all their differences, and expressed the hope that peace would dwell particularly in the hearts of the young.
The representative of the Catholic Church, Auxiliary Bishop Josip Mrzljak, pointed out that a person of our times is thirsty for peace and hungry for goodness, and the faithful believe that these are found in God, who is the fullness of peace and goodness. He mentioned that Pope John Paul II urges Catholics to delve ever deeper into prayer and that he has proclaimed the Year of the Eucharist, recalling that Jesus Christ wanted to become bread for us, food from which all the good that a person desires would issue.
The representative of the Macedonian Orthodox Church Community, Kirko Velinski, proposed considering the question of whether it is possible for us to be full of egoism, evil and licentiousness, and at the same time to live in peace. He said that peace is more necessary than ever and peace in souls brings about behavior according to God’s laws.
Reflecting on why God is the source of peace, the president of the League of Baptist Churches in the Republic of Croatia, Boris Peterlin, pointed out that in God the source of peace becomes the only lasting, disinterested offer and that God offers peace in the manner of a source, offering himself sincerely, joyfully and patiently.
The Serbian Orthodox Church also contributed to the Inter-Religion Prayer for Peace and the choir of the Cathedral of the Transformation of the Lord sang a hymn.
A member of the Council of the Jewish Communities, Mihael Montiljo, expressed the desire for peace in the homeland and throughout the entire world. He said to those assembled that they are related because they are all Abraham’s children and that all believe in one God, noting that daily behavior is of crucial importance and it is necessary to react to inhumanity in order for good to win over evil, and for love to win over hatred. The meeting was concluded with a joint performance of the Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis.