We received this news from Portugal:

On Europe Day, 9 May at 9.30 p.m., an ecumenical moment of prayer for peace took place in Porto/Portogal, in the Cedofeita church.

Around 60 people were present, among them the Catholic auxiliary Bishop D. Roberto Mariz, Bishop D. Jorge Pina Cabral of the Lusitanian Church and Bishop Sifredo Teixeira of the Methodist Church. Jorge Pina Cabral and Bishop Sifredo Teixeira of the Methodist Church.

Poet Sophia de Mello Breyner’s verses ‘Give us Lord the peace we ask for, peace without victor and without vanquished’ marked the start of the celebration.

In a profound moment of interiority, stillness and silence, the word Peace was pronounced in different languages and with the sensitivity of the various confessions, stating: ‘God is love, the whole world needs peace. The world thirsts for Peace!’

We recited the ‘Our Father’ holding hands, followed by the blessing given together by the representatives of the various churches. We left off by drawing a card at random with a key word to build peace and singing the Gen Rosso song ‘Sow Peace’.

The moderator, Rev. Sérgio of the Lusitanian Church, concluded: ‘Today we have rekindled the flame’.

Now it is up to us to find ways and creativity to keep it going, perhaps without waiting a year…

Lurdes Teixeira on behalf of the TfE team in Porto

Photo L. Teixeira during the celebration; invitation flyer.