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Melkite Patriarch urges Lenten fasting for peace in Middle East

CWN - March 11, 2011

The leader of the Melkite Catholic Church has recommended that the faithful offer up their Lenten fasting for the cause of peace in the Middle East.

Patriarch Gregory III Laham said that through their mortification, the Melkite faithful could “accompany the birth-pangs of several of our Arab countries” that are now experiencing unrest.

The Melkite Catholic Church has about 1.6 million members worldwide, with the heaviest concentration in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. Many Melkite adults follow the strict traditional Lenten fast of the Eastern tradition, abstaining from all meat, eggs, and dairy products throughout the penitential season.

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