Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 2)— The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on the Filipino faithful to dedicate their Ash Wednesday prayers for war-torn Ukraine.
“Nobody is happy about war except those in the arms industries who make huge profits and stand to benefit from the disputes among nations,” CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said in a statement.
“The Lord Himself taught us that there is no other way to combat the enticements of the devil especially among those who are obsessed with power, wealth and fame, other than prayer, fasting and acts of charity,” he added.
The CBCP echoed the earlier call of Pope Francis, who urged Catholics to mark the beginning of Lent with fasting and prayers for the former Soviet nation. The Vatican has also expressed its willingness to “facilitate” a dialogue between Ukraine and Russia to end the conflict.
Russia continued its brutal assault on Ukraine, launching strikes on the capital Kyiv and other key cities on Wednesday.
