On October 7, the date on which the Catholic Church celebrates the memory of Our Lady of the Rosary, children from various parts of the world participated in an international initiative promoted by ACN – Aid to the Church in Need. The goal is to bring together one million children to pray the Rosary for world peace and unity.
In Portugal, the Archdiocese of Évora responded to the call with a celebration presided over by Archbishop D. Francisco Senra Coelho, in the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, in Évora. The moment of prayer took place at noon and was attended by students from the Salesian College, with the support of the Salesian Ministry.
During the celebration of the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary, the Archbishop highlighted the importance of uniting children in prayer, recalling the suffering of many persecuted Christian communities in the world. “We are here to pray together with many boys and girls, trying to add up to a million children who, on this day, pray for peace,” said D. Francisco Senra Coelho.
The prelate thanked the children for their presence and the involvement of the Salesian educational community, underlining the importance of inner peace as a basis for peace among peoples. “If we don’t have peace within us, we can’t transmit it to others,” he said.
At the end of the prayer, the Archbishop expressed his emotion with the participation of the children, stressing that “the voices of children are voices of peace” and that this prayer “has reached Heaven and will touch many hearts”.
