The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy was one of the endorsing organizations for a prayer vigil calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, held Thursday afternoon, March 21, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of the Lenten Ceasefire Campaign organized by Christians for Ceasefire.
The vigil was attended by some 75 people including national faith leaders. The prayer vigil was followed by a nonviolent direct action in the Russell Senate Office Building.
Faith leaders who were at the prayer vigil included Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers); Mubarak Awad, the Palestinian founder of Nonviolence International; Mae Elise Cannon, executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace; Jonathan Kuttab, executive director of Friends of Sabeel North America; Graylan Hagler of the Fellowship of Reconciliation; and Scott Wright, a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace.
According to a press release from Christians for Ceasefire, the prayer vigil “had powerful words calling for prayers for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and proper respect for everyone. Attendees heard heartbreaking statistics of the continued violation of humanity in Gaza, and a lamentation was read throughout the prayer vigil.”
During the nonviolent witness in the Russell Senate Office Building, 12 people were arrested “after standing in the formation of a cross in the center of the building’s rotunda while singing out phrases such as ‘Food not war,’ ‘Children are dying in Gaza,’ and ‘No more bombing hospitals,’” said the press release. According to the US Capitol Police, the arrestees were charged with unlawfully protesting.”
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