Detroit — Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron led a special holy hour at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on Nov. 21 in a symbol of solidarity for Christians persecuted overseas.

The holy hour, which brought together both Eastern rite and Western rite Catholics, focused on praying for peace in the Middle East, and incorporated prayers and hymns from the many different rites.

Joining Archbishop Vigneron in leading the holy hour were Bishop Mar Ibrahim N. Ibrahim, of the St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Diocese, and Bishop Barnaba Yousif Benham Habash, of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark (Syrian).

“I began to think about this prayer at the end of the synod in 2010,” Archbishop Vigneron said at the beginning of the holy hour. “Because there are so many Christians and Catholics from the Middle East here in southeast Michigan, I as a Latin priest was invited also to attend. One of the things the Holy Father asked us all to do is to never forget the Christians in the Middle East — to continue to pray for them.”

The cathedral was filled to capacity with Chaldean Catholics, Melkite Catholics, Maronite Catholics, Armenian Catholics and Syriac Catholics, as well as Latin-rite Catholics.



The holy hour featured a uniquely arranged praying of the rosary, which included decades from four different mysteries: The Nativity (the Joyful Mysteries), the Wedding Feast at Cana (Luminous Mysteries), the Crucifixion (Sorrowful Mysteries), and the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Glorious Mysteries).

Between each decade, a hymn from a particular rite was sung or chanted. This included the Chaldean hymn, “Hail, Full of Grace;” the Melkie hymn, “Triumphant Leader;” the Latin hymn “Stabat Mater Dolorosa;” the Armenian Hymn “Soorp, Soorp;” and the Maronite hymn, “Houbouki Ya Maryam.”

Another special part of the holy hour was the enthronement of an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, entrusting all Christians of the Middle East to the protection and care of the Blessed Mother. At the end of the holy hour, the attendees had the opportunity to come forward and venerate the image by kissing or touching it.

Many of the participants saw the holy hour as a special and powerful time of prayer.

“Families in Baghdad separate on Sunday mornings in case there’s a bombing, so that the whole family won’t die,” said Fr. Andrew Ceba, a Chaldean priest. “It is important for us to gather together and pray that all can live out their faith without any fear.”

Toni Najor, a Maronite Catholic of Lebanese origin, said she hopes something like this “can happen again.”

“This was a good time for all of the Eastern churches to get together and pray solemnly for peace,” she said.

Feyha Younan, a Chaldean Catholic, said it’s crucial for all to “be able to worship in peace.” Younan said her son was the first American-born Chaldean to become a priest in the United States.

She referenced the recent letter of Bishop Amel Shamon Nona of Mosul, Iraq, “A Letter from Iraq to Christians of the West,” and said this holy hour “followed a lot of what he wrote about.”