On December 31, at the Vigil Mass for the International World Day of Prayer for Peace, the Church of St. Thérèse in Chesapeake dedicated a “Peace Pole,” which was recently placed in the PrayerGarden at the church entrance. A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for Peace on earth. The St. Thérèse Peace Pole bears the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in eight different languages.
“We felt it was important to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI in 1968, in a special way,” said Jimmy Culpepper, of St. Thérèse’s Justice and Peace Ministry. “Especially in a country at war, it’s important that we have reminders that peace is always the gospel mandate.”
The Peace Pole at St. Thérèse is one of more than 250,000 Peace Poles in nearly every country in the world, dedicated as monuments to peace. To learn more about the Peace Pole Project, visit the World Peace Prayer Society (www.worldpeace.org).
