St. Gallen, Switzerland: The Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) has called for a "Eucharistic Adoration in all churches in Europe" this week on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross to pray for peace in Ukraine.
Catholics across Europe were urged to gather on September 14 to 'kneel before the Blessed Sacrament to pray that the Lord will grant peace to Ukraine'. The prayer initiative was inspired by the Roman Catholic bishops of Ukraine who declared 2022 as the Year of the Holy Cross for Ukrainian Catholics.
"Since Russia attacked Ukraine, we are walking a painful road of the cross, on which innocent people suffer, are wounded and killed, there is a lot of evil, a lot of suffering," the Ukrainian bishops wrote in a letter to mark the beginning of the Year of the Holy Cross.
"At this time, we feel more acutely than ever what violence against the innocent is, what the crucifixion of the innocent is. Now more than ever we understand Jesus Christ on his Way of the Cross, we understand his suffering and death as an innocent Lamb who was crucified by people who gave themselves to the service of evil."
The Year of the Holy Cross in Ukraine will conclude on the Sept. 14 feast day with a liturgy and the Stations of the Cross at the Shrine of the Lord's Passion in Sharhorod, Ukraine.
Dioceses in Italy, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Norway, and many other European countries have confirmed their participation in the adoration initiative.
In Malta, Archbishop Charles Scicluna will offer Mass followed by eucharistic adoration in the Church of Ta 'Giezu in Valletta, which will be broadcast on national television at 9:30 a.m. local time.
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool will offer a Mass for Peace after an hour of eucharistic adoration starting at 4 p.m. with the local Ukrainian community in the Cathedral of Christ the King.
The Cathedral of Limburg, Germany, will also offer veneration of the relic of the Limburg cross together with prayers for peace in Ukraine at 6 p.m.
The Council of European Bishops' Conferences has published suggested prayers and readings in English to help guide a holy hour for peace in Ukraine on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, including the following prayer written by Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, who serves the Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Slovak Eastern Catholics in Great Britain.