The Catholic Bishops of Southern Africa have called on the people of God to pray for peace in the Holy Land and other war-torn areas.

In a Monday, November 13 statement signed by Bishop Sithembele Sipuka the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), the Administrative Board called on parishes in Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa to observe a once-off united act of prayer for peace on the Feast of Christ the King observed annually on the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

“The Board invites all the bishops of the Conference area and their Dioceses for continuous prayer for peace in the land of the birth of our Lord. We are moved and inspired by the example of the Lord, who loved and appreciated the humanity of everyone regardless of nationality; as St. Paul affirms, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28),” say the members of the SACBC Administrative Board.

In their collective statement following the November 7th to the 9th meeting held at Lumko Institute, Benoni, the members of the SACBC Administrative Board express gratitude “for the comprehensive coverage of the war in the Gaza Strip, which significantly contributes to the heightened awareness of the woeful suffering of civilians,” in the region and ask for continued prayers for “other war-torn areas in Africa (e.g., Sudan, DRC, Burkina Faso, etc.) and other parts of the world that are not so well-covered by the media” as “these areas, too, are to be included in the prayer intentions for peace,” they affirm.

Meanwhile, according to the Palestine Health Ministry attacks in the Gaza Strip have injured approximately 28,200 and have killed at least 11,180, including 4,609 children, 3,100 women, and 678 elderly individuals.

According to the Monday, November 13 statement shared with the SACBC communications office, “more than 3,250 civilians are still missing or under the rubble, including 1,700 children,” and according to reports at least “6 children and 9 patients have died in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza due to fuel shortages and the closure of its departments after being besieged by the occupying forces.”