European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 9, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday april 9 2007 stars and stripes Page 13 in the world easter brings wishes for world peace Serkan ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew i the orthodox christians spiritual Leader kisses a baby during easter mass at the patriarchal Cathedral of St George in Turkey the associated press Rome from Moscow to Sofia Rome to Jerusalem christians of the orthodox and Western faiths celebrated easter Sun Day prayed for a better future and relished ancient rituals on the same Day this year As their religious calendars coincided at the Vatican the Eastern Christian celebrations of easter resounded across the Steps of St Peters Basilica when Black Robed clerics intoned a Long chant from the byzantine Liturgy during Pope Benedict a its outdoor mass for tens of thousands of faithful St Peters Square was ablaze with color from tulips Tiger lil ies hyacinths and azaleas Benedict head of the worlds 11 billion catholics tempered his message about easter Joy with a Litany of suffering in the world today including what he decried As continual Slaughter in Iraq and blood shed in parts of Africa and Asia easter brought a Little Good will to strained Russia georgian relations when Moscow allowed a few georgian charter flights to arrive for Holiday celebrations in Ukraine capital several Hundred supporters of the Premier marked easter in tents As they protested the presidents order to dissolve parliament cries of Christ is risen went up in Macedonia after Midnight when priests symbolically announced Jesus Victory Over death archbishop Stefan head of the macedonian orthodox Church called for peace in our Homeland and among All the people in the world while christians Are a tiny minority in Turkey for historical reasons the Ortho Dox patriarchate has its Home in Istanbul ancient constantinople and the spiritual Leader of the worlds 200 million orthodox ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew i is based there most of the worshippers pack ing the Church of St George at a saturday night easter Vigil service were visitors from Greece in the Pacific predominantly Christian Solomon islands struggling with Earth quake and tsunami losses frightened Vil lagers descended from the Hills for easter maybe if s a punishment from god said worshipper Furner Smith Are Bonato before there were few people in Church now after the earthquake the Church is filled with people some of them never went to Church before she said Benedict mentioned the Solomon is lands tragedy in his message How much suffering there is in the world celebrate easter Holiday by Bassem Mroue the associated press Baghdad a new wave of explosions and shootings killed or wounded dozens of iraqis on easter sunday As the Christian minor Ity celebrated the holy Day Pray ing that this would be me last year they live through the Vio Lence and terrorism gripping their country Early sunday thousands of christians throughout Iraq went to easter mass and some churches were uncommonly full in re cent years after attacks on Doz ens of churches attendance had fallen off dramatically St Joseph chaldean Church in Central Baghdad was jammed with More than 1000 people Many had to stand through the service Security was tight outside the Church every Man entering the Church was searched police cars blocked both ends of the Street to prevent car bombs during the mass shiite mus Lim Leader Ammar Alhakim son of the head of Iraq most Power Ful shiite political organization walked into the Church father Louis Ashabi the chief priest at St Joseph escorted Alhakim to a seat near the alter Sheik Alhakim came to join us in our celebrations As we Mark this feast Ashabi told the Wor shippers we Welcome this visit As a display of Unity among the iraqi people Alhakim responded we Are All the sons of Iraq and we should put Pur hands together to build this country we Are confident that the iraqi people will come out of this crisis and our pain will end most of the violence that has torn iraqi society and driven it to the Brink of civil War has been a sectarian upheaval Between Shi Ite and sunni muslims christians however have not escaped the carnage and destruction father Ashabi sought to Down play past attacks on churches and the murder of priests and focused rather of the dozens of mosques mat have been attacked in the past three years and the thousands of muslims clerics and worshippers Khaund iraqi christians celebrate easter in a chaldean Church in Baghdad killed in their holy places the situation in Iraq does not make us feel Happy but when we Pray to god we do feel Happy no matter How bad the situation be comes and no matter How Strong the storm is it has to end and it is reaching its end Ashabi said As he left mass 68yearold Naji Habbi recalled the Days be fore the 2003 used invasion when Baghdad was one of the Saf est cities in the Region we can not compare today with the past then Security was much better he said thousands of christians have Ped Iraq mainly to neighbouring of Syria and Jordan where More than 15 iraqis currently r christians account for 3 per spent of Iraq 26infllion people Bush Marks Holiday at fort Hood the associated press fort Hood Texas president Bush prayed for peace sunday at an easter ser vice during a visit to an army Post that has sent thousands of soldiers to Iraq i had a Chance to reflect on the great sacrifice that our Mil itary and their families Are making Bush said outside the Chapel after the service i prayed for their safety and i prayed for their strength and Comfort and i prayed for peace for the fourth time in five years Bush flew 50 Miles Southwest from his ranch in Crawford to spend easter morning at this sprawling army Post it was his first pub Lic appearance since arriving wednesday in Texas the pres ident was joined by first lady Laura Bush and her Mother and his parents 71stripes your Hometown newspaper Why Fly full Price Home delivery Only per 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