Press Office at Tuesday’s Child

Belfast shines a light for peace in the Middle East ...

DATE:  WEDNESDAY 7th JANUARY

An estimated 2,500 people joined a candlelit vigil in Belfast last night for peace in the middle East. Others joined in unity with the vigil from both sides of the community from churches and homes around the Province.  Organised by the humanitarian charity, Tuesday’s Child, the procession commenced in Clonard monastery and walked to Belfast City Hall where it was greeted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Hartley.

The candlelit vigil was especially poignant as it came just an hour after breaking news that a UN school in Gaza has been hit by Israel bombs with many children among the dead and wounded.

Speaking at the vigil, Tuesday’s Child founder, Orla Sheehan, said “We chose Tuesday 6th January as the night of our vigil, as tonight is the feast of the Epiphany and the celebration of the Christ Child’s manifestation to all the nations of the world. We are praying to the infant Child in the manger, on this twelfth night, that He will help those nations who have it within their power to end this conflict, to bring forth an immediate end to hostility and to find a just and equitable peace solution. Our prayer is that His gift of peace and love will shine into the hearts and minds of those capable of bring an immediate cessation to violence in this most terrible of wars”.

“We are also praying for all the innocent victims of this conflict”, said Tuesday’s Child. “We are thinking especially of the families and children in Gaza who are totally helpless in the midst of a relentless onslaught, where access to even emergency services and adequate hospital treatment is limited. We are also thinking of the families trapped in their homes without food and water and we pray that relief will come to them soon. We also pray that Israel will have a change of heart and permit entry of much needed humanitarian aid into this 40 km strip of human misery. We also remember tonight the hospital staff and aid workers helping in the most impossible of conditions and we ask the Baby in the manger to strengthen them in their work”.

The vigil was attended by people across both communities in Belfast.  Bishop Donal McKeown, auxillary Bishop of Down and Connor, lead the opening prayers of the procession. Dr McKeown said, “the issue in the middle east is not a matter of who is right and who is wrong for there are faults on both sides; the emphasis should be on stopping the slaughter”.

Speaking of her recent visit to Gaza in September and the impact of recent strikes, Ms Sheehan said “I have never witnessed a humanitarian crisis like Gaza. The strip was completely decimated then. Children were starving and malnourished and subject to many other violations of their human rights. I was shocked by the things I saw.  They were suffering enough. I shudder to think of how traumatised their little lives must be now”. 

At Belfast City Hall, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Hartley, commended the work of Tuesday’s Child in helping children in both Gaza and Israel and called for an immediate end to the conflict.

Tuesday’s Child asked people watching live TV coverage of the vigil in their own homes to join them in prayer. Many church services around the Province joined in the event. “We hope our candlelit vigil in Belfast tonight will be the first of many around the world. We are saddened by the many organised protests and boycotts that only serve to deepen hatred and division. What is needed now is prayer for peace. Northern Ireland was able to resolve its terrible conflict and we hope that tonight we can be a shining example for the peace in the Middle East”.

The candles tonight were lit from a peace candle beside the Christmas crib. People joining the procession were asked to say a prayer for peace to the infant Child before lighting their candle and joining the procession.

Before starting the procession Tuesday’s Child emphasised their wish for the event to be prayer driven. The few protestors who turned up with flags and funeral wreaths were asked to leave the event. Attending media were requested not to give this small group of protest any credence.

Tuesday’s Child explained that their charity partners in Uganda, Bolivia, Brazil, Israel, Palestine and Bosnia Hercergovina, were also joining in the prayer vigil. “This is truly an international vigil for peace”, said Ms Sheehan.  

Ends.

For further details please contact Orla Sheehan on 07813 834045 or email orla.sheehan@btinternet.com or the charity email info@tuesdayschild.org.uk

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