Priests on fast, pray for pandemic end

Kolkata: Christian priests across state churches joined a nation-wide call to fast on Friday and hold special prayers to end the pandemic. The call for the fast was initially given by the Catholic church and the other churches joined in. Under the archdiocese of Roman Catholic church, 300 priests in churches, educational institutions and other social service outfits fasted and prayed on Friday.

The head of the Catholic church in the city, Archbishop Thomas D Souza, held evening prayers at Auxilium Church as hundreds watched online. The Church of North India-affiliated churches held three-hour virtual prayers in the morning where Bishop Paritosh Canning prayed for deliverance from the deadly disease.

The call to Catholic priests came from Oswald Cardinal Gracias, the head of the Catholic world in the country, and found support among priests. This was supported by the National Council of Churches in India and the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

“We need divine intervention,” D Souza said.

Canning said, “We, the spiritual doctors to our parishioners, can fast and pray to stand by them.”