The morning of Monday, August 6th, 1945, while was still Sunday evening in New York City, the first atomic bomb was dropped by the US Air Force on the people of Hiroshima, Japan at 8:15 AM. On Thursday morning, August 9th 1945 at 11.15 AM the second, and far more powerful, atomic bomb was dropped by the US Air Force on the people of Nagasaki, Japan. The nuclear bombing of the city of Hiroshima and the nuclear bombing of the city of Nagasaki remain the only two instances of deliberate use of nuclear weapons in war.
The Vigil for Peace gathers us again for 75 consecutive hours, to pray for peace in communion with sisters and brothers around the world, and to remember the victims of all current conflicts. The Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary at 325 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 will be open to all, including friends, groups, communities, and families, for prayer and hospitality from 7 PM Monday, August 5th, 2024 (8 AM in Japan) to 10.15 PM Thursday, August 8, 2024, (11.15 AM in Japan)
The Vigil is one of the many fruits of the Prayer for Peace that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in Assisi in 1986, and has continued every year since. The Prayer for Peace 2024 will be held in Paris.
Nuclear disarmament is possible and must be achieved. The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which articulates humanity’s commitment to nuclear disarmament, became international law in 1970 and has been ratified by 190 governments. The Catholic Church has consistently supported of the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 1963, in the encyclical Pacem in Terris, John XXIII clearly stated: “Nuclear weapons must be banned.” In 2017 Pope Francis declared of nuclear weapons, “the threat of their use, as well as their very possession, is to be firmly condemned.”
Unfortunately, the production and use of both nuclear and conventional weapons has grown dramatically. All countries, notably the USA, are ‘modernizing’ their arsenals. The New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear weapons treaty between the U.S. and Russia, which took effect in 2011, is set to expire in February 2026.
The Vigil is organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio with the support of parishioners of Our Saviour, volunteers, and collaborating organizations, including the Catholic Peacebuilding Network.
For more details, please contact vigil2024@santegidio.org or reach out to Susan Cangiano at 917 817 3919 or Thomas Murphy at 646 209 2755.
All participants, whether in person or remote, are welcome to sending prayers and intentions to vigil2024@santegidio.org, which will be read aloud in the Chapel throughout the Vigil.
May God bless us all with the Gift of Peace.
The Vigil will be live-streamed, available here.