JOHN PAUL II URGES PRAYERS "FOR THE GREAT GIFT OF PEACE"

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2003 (VIS) - In reflections made before praying the noon angelus today, Pope John Paul reminded the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square that February 11 is the World Day of the Sick, and he also asked prayers "for the great gift of peace."

He noted that "the World Day of the Sick is celebrated on February 11, the liturgical memory of Our Lady of Lourdes. This is a meaningful occasion that helps ecclesial communities to keep alive the attention for those brothers and sisters who are ill and suffering, and encourages health care workers to attend to their professional service with constant dedication."

"As you know," the Pope pointed out, "this year's celebration takes place in the majestic national Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, capital of the United States of America. I express great appreciation to those who have taken care to prepare the various manifestations of this important ecclesial event." He closed his remarks by expressing special "recognition to doctors, nurses, social assistants, volunteers, priests, and religious who work in the health care field."

The Holy Father then turned to the tensions in the Middle East: "In this hour of international concern, we all feed the need to turn to the Lord to implore the great gift of peace. As I said in the Apostolic Letter 'Rosarium Virginis Mariae', 'the difficulties on the world horizon at the start of a new millennium lead us to think that only intervention from on high ... can give us hope for a future that is less bleak'. Many prayer initiatives are taking place these days in various parts of the world. While I encourage them with all my heart, I invite everyone to take up the Rosary to invoke the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin: 'one cannot recite the Rosary without feeling involved in a precise commitment to serve peace'."

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