Peace Vigils Mirror Interfaith Service in Assisi

January 23, 2002

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On January 23, 2002, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "leaders of more than 20 faiths and denominations in the St. Louis region will gather tonight to reflect on the call to peace found in their respective scriptures... Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Sikh and Ba'hai leaders will enter the sanctuary of the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica and individually read from their scripture about peace... Archbishop Justin Rigali, past chairman of the Cabinet of the Interfaith Partnership of Metropolitan St. Louis, organized the gathering as a link to an interfaith gathering for peace at Assisi, Italy, on Thursday... Leaders from nearly all of the world's major faiths have accepted Pope John Paul II's invitation to join him at the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi to fast, have silent prayer and discuss peace."