Kochi: Amid escalating tensions on the Indo-Pak border, Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, has issued a heartfelt appeal to the faithful: let prayers rise louder than the sounds of conflict.

With soldiers standing guard under a growing shadow of hostility, and the nation’s leadership maintaining a vigilant watch over the country's sovereignty, the Archbishop urged citizens to turn to prayer as a spiritual shield for India. In a message steeped in compassion and patriotic responsibility, he called on all churches and institutions under the Syro-Malabar Church to dedicate their Sunday Holy Masses to peace and the well-being of the nation.

“As responsible citizens and faithful children of this land,” the Archbishop said, “we must raise our hearts in prayer for our motherland. Let us remember in particular those who risk their lives at the border, and families living in the crosshairs of conflict.”

He emphasized that this moment of national anxiety should become an opportunity for unity through faith, invoking divine intervention for enduring peace. “May our prayers reach across borders and break barriers of hostility. May lasting peace take root between India and Pakistan,” he added.

This spiritual call to arms serves as a poignant reminder: while governments and armies prepare for defense, the common citizen can contribute through hope, prayer, and solidarity.