Siren Prayer for Peace
Revd Alison Heal, Curate at the chaplaincy in All Saints Luxembourg, wrote to us recently about a powerful ecumenical initiative they co-founded:
'All Saints Anglican Church is a founding partner of the ecumenical Siren Prayer movement of Luxembourg. Every first Monday of the month, warning sirens are tested around Luxembourg, at noon. The wailing sirens have been used, since July 2024, as a prompt for prayer, by Christians who gather together in one of the churches, and also by individuals in their homes, schools and workplaces.
Like so many others, over the past few years we have been moved to pray for peace with a new sense of urgency. In conversation with Ukrainian members of All Saints, who work with Ukraine Focus, we understood the need to pray for peace with justice. Our Ukrainian founder member suggested that we could time our prayers to the monthly siren test, as warning sirens are a terrifying daily reality in war zones around the world. In partnership with ACAT Luxembourg, a Christian association for the abolition of torture, we developed the idea of Siren Prayer.
For January’s Siren Prayer, eighteen people from five denominations, representing at least eleven countries, gathered to pray as the siren sounded. WhatsApp prayer groups relayed the call to prayer around Luxembourg, and praying hands emojis showed that others were praying in their homes, schools and workplaces as they heard the siren. Some of those praying with us were about to return to war-torn countries, after Christmas with their families in Luxembourg. Many came with individuals in mind: we prayed for families, friends, students, colleagues and contacts in Syria, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar.
The meeting is deliberately kept to half an hour, so workers can come during their lunch break. However, for those who can linger, new contacts are being made between the different church and charitable groups. A member of ACAT shared that joining with others in prayer gives strength and solidarity when supporting torture victims. Our prayers bring traditional and modern, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox, closer together. We sense that God is prompting us to pray for the multinational inhabitants of our diverse nation, calling on the Prince of Peace and praying: ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’.
Why not join us in our Siren Prayer?
Dear Jesus, Lord of Justice, Prince of Peace,
As the siren wails its warning: we pray for people and places in the world where we long to see peace and justice. In particular …. (name people and places).
Turn back the tide of all that leads towards war and conflict: may peace and justice flourish anew together amongst the rubble. Bring down the proud and mighty, raise up the humble and lowly: protect and provide for the vulnerable and powerless. As we raise our hands in prayer, strengthen them for loving action: As we raise our voices in prayer, strengthen them to speak on behalf of others.
Dear Jesus, Lord of Justice, Prince of Peace, wherever the siren wails its warning: may Your Word of peace and justice bring light and hope, now and always.
Amen.
Based on Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46ff) and Psalms 42:5, 85:10, 119:30'
Thank you so much to Revd Heal for letting us know about this emotive and impactful prayer initiative.
Please reach out to us if you have something in your chaplaincy that you think would be of interest to others in the diocese:
Ruth or Susi
