Prayers for Hospitalized Pope
by Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians, Muslims and Jews from all over the world
sent prayers and praise for Pope John Paul II as he recovered from his Feb. 24 tracheotomy.
Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople sent a message assuring Pope John Paul of prayers for his "complete and rapid recovery."
In a written message, the Orthodox leader asked that God give the pope "the courage to continue for a long time his holy mission."
The Muslim community of Egypt also expressed concern for the pope, Italian Comboni Father Giuseppe Scattolin told Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Feb. 25.
Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople sent a message assuring Pope John Paul of prayers for his "complete and rapid recovery."
In a written message, the Orthodox leader asked that God give the pope "the courage to continue for a long time his holy mission."
The Muslim community of Egypt also expressed concern for the pope, Italian Comboni Father Giuseppe Scattolin told Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Feb. 25.
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Egyptian Muslims "sincerely respect and admire" the pope, and his work in
promoting "dialogue between religions and cultures is highly appreciated and is bearing good
fruit here in Egypt," the priest added.
Italian Muslim leader Mohamed Nour Dachan said it was important to remember "that we are in God's hands," reported the Italian news agency ANSA.
"The doctors will do their duty, and we will pray that God helps the Holy Father through this phase," said Dachan, president of the Union of Islamic Communities and Organizations in Italy.
Asmae Dachan, head of the Association of Muslim Women in Italy, told ANSA Feb. 25 that the pope lends "an authoritative voice" on moral issues.
"He is doing something great for humanity" by passionately working "to re-establish human relationships and dialogue between different cultures and religions," she said.
Riccardo Di Segni, head of Rome's Jewish community, visited Gemelli hospital Feb. 25 "to show our solidarity for the pope in this moment of suffering."
Amos Luzzatto, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, said "our prayer is that (the pope) recovers soon."
"The pope is a friend of us Jews. We respect his feelings and his work," Luzzatto told ANSA Feb. 25.
Meanwhile, Catholics around the world stepped up their prayers for the Holy Father.
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem called on Catholics in the Holy Land to offer special prayers for the pope's health. Patriarch Sabbah also asked contemplatives "to guarantee nonstop prayers for the pope."
The Catholic bishops in India called on dioceses to organize special prayers for the pope's quick recovery.
Catholics in China expressed concern for the pope's health, according to a Feb. 26 report by Fides.
"We are getting phone calls from all over China asking about the Holy Father and assuring us of prayers for him," said Father Zhang Shi Jiang, editor of the Catholic newspaper, Faith, published in Hebei, China.
Mexican bishops invoked the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe to help protect the pope, while bishops in Uruguay and Brazil offered their prayers for the pope's health.
Bishops in Burundi reminded the faithful that through prayer they could offer the pope comfort, while the bishops' conference of Taiwan called for intensified prayers.
Prayers were offered around-the-clock by Catholics in the pope's native Poland. At the church in his hometown of Wadowice Feb. 25, the faithful recited prayers to the Divine Mercy every hour.
In Rome, visiting Spanish bishops went to the pope's suite of rooms at Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Feb. 25. Cardinal Bernard F. Law, former archbishop of Boston who is now the archpriest of Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major, also visited Feb. 25.
Inmates at Rome's Rebibbia prison offered special prayers Feb. 27 for Pope John Paul and all people suffering from illness, ANSA reported.
Italian Muslim leader Mohamed Nour Dachan said it was important to remember "that we are in God's hands," reported the Italian news agency ANSA.
"The doctors will do their duty, and we will pray that God helps the Holy Father through this phase," said Dachan, president of the Union of Islamic Communities and Organizations in Italy.
Asmae Dachan, head of the Association of Muslim Women in Italy, told ANSA Feb. 25 that the pope lends "an authoritative voice" on moral issues.
"He is doing something great for humanity" by passionately working "to re-establish human relationships and dialogue between different cultures and religions," she said.
Riccardo Di Segni, head of Rome's Jewish community, visited Gemelli hospital Feb. 25 "to show our solidarity for the pope in this moment of suffering."
Amos Luzzatto, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, said "our prayer is that (the pope) recovers soon."
"The pope is a friend of us Jews. We respect his feelings and his work," Luzzatto told ANSA Feb. 25.
Meanwhile, Catholics around the world stepped up their prayers for the Holy Father.
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem called on Catholics in the Holy Land to offer special prayers for the pope's health. Patriarch Sabbah also asked contemplatives "to guarantee nonstop prayers for the pope."
The Catholic bishops in India called on dioceses to organize special prayers for the pope's quick recovery.
Catholics in China expressed concern for the pope's health, according to a Feb. 26 report by Fides.
"We are getting phone calls from all over China asking about the Holy Father and assuring us of prayers for him," said Father Zhang Shi Jiang, editor of the Catholic newspaper, Faith, published in Hebei, China.
Mexican bishops invoked the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe to help protect the pope, while bishops in Uruguay and Brazil offered their prayers for the pope's health.
Bishops in Burundi reminded the faithful that through prayer they could offer the pope comfort, while the bishops' conference of Taiwan called for intensified prayers.
Prayers were offered around-the-clock by Catholics in the pope's native Poland. At the church in his hometown of Wadowice Feb. 25, the faithful recited prayers to the Divine Mercy every hour.
In Rome, visiting Spanish bishops went to the pope's suite of rooms at Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Feb. 25. Cardinal Bernard F. Law, former archbishop of Boston who is now the archpriest of Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major, also visited Feb. 25.
Inmates at Rome's Rebibbia prison offered special prayers Feb. 27 for Pope John Paul and all people suffering from illness, ANSA reported.
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