Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Joins Pope Francis in Ukraine vs Russia Prayer on Ash Wednesday.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the Anglican Church in Cape Town shared Pope Francis’s sentiments regarding the Ukraine vs Russia conflict. They added their voices to calls for peaceful engagement and ceasefire between the two countries at war currently.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba was in New York at the Anglican parish on the island of Manhattan when he spoke on the matter. He is a well travelled man but remains vocal no matter where he is through his blog and social media page.
After seeing the news updates on the Ukraine vs Russia war, he also made a call to the Anglican Church across Southern Africa to pray for Ukraine and Russia. Pope Francis’s of the Roman Catholic Church earlier urged all believers to observe prayer and fasting on Ash Wednesday for the sake of those who suffer. Pope Francis’s is one of Europe’s most influential leaders as the head of the Catholic Church and Vatican City State since 2013. It is noble of them not to turn a blind eye on pressing matters.
On his return from New York, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba led proceedings for Ash Wednesday at the St George’s Cathedral. Speaking on the day, he mentioned the charge that late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu left them to focus on transforming the lives of God’s children everywhere. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said
Arch Thabo Makgoba
“Ash Wednesday and Lent give us the opportunity to re-consider our dependence on God’s grace in transforming our lives.”
Arch Thabo Makgoba
“Resolutions to fast and pray during this Lent are important and necessary. But the scripture readings require us to look beyond reducing our consumption and to consider deeper questions: to what end are we fasting and praying? They challenge us to stop being conceited. “
He further commended the South African government agreeing with President Ramaphosa and Minister Naledi Pandor that the conflict should have been averted by negotiation but also emphasized saying
Arch Thabo Makgoba
“I urge the government to condemn unequivocally the Russian invasion. After all the support the United Nations gave us in the struggle against apartheid, it is unthinkable that we should approve such a flagrant violation of a central tenet of the UN Charter.”
Curtesy of Source:
https://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2022/02/archbishop-thabo-calls-for-prayers-for.html