via pmnewsnigeria Pope Benedict XVI, continuing his Christmas message theme, during which he appealed for the end of violence in Nigeria and Syria, prayed for the “gift of peace” this year, condemning the inequality between rich and poor and “unregulated financial capitalism” at a New Year’s mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday.
The pope spoke of “hotbeds of tension and confrontation caused by the growing inequality between rich and poor and the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mentality also expressed by unregulated financial capitalism.”
But he also said that humanity had “an innate vocation for peace” and quoted from the Biblical passage: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Peacemakers “are like the yeast in the dough — they allow humanity to grow according to God’s design,” he said.
The Roman Catholic Church celebrates New Year’s Day as World Peace Day.
The pope later addressed a crowd in St Peter’s Square with his traditional Angelus prayer and invoked the blessing of the Virgin Mary “like a mother blesses her children who are about to set off on a voyage.”
“A new year is like a voyage. With the light and grace of God, may it be a voyage of peace for every person and every family, for every country and for the whole world,” he said. Peace was also the central theme of the New Year message by a muslim cleric in Epe, Lagos state in western Nigeria.
Mr Olademeji Kaka, a Muslim cleric in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, urged Muslims and Christians to embrace peace and unity in the new year.
Kaka, who is the Imam of Lagbade Central Mosque, gave the advice on Tuesday night in a special prayer, tagged, “Tahajjud Night’’, to mark the end of year 2012.
He called on Muslims and Christians to collectively observe one day of fasting and prayer for the peace and unity of the country.
“Muslims love peace, Islam does not preach violence and we are peaceful people and that is why we are going to use this prayer to pray for the peaceful coexistence of Muslims and our Christian brothers and sisters. “We all must pray for the peace and development of Nigeria.
“God that brought us together does not make mistakes. He does his things with care and He did not bring us together to fight and kill one another,” Kaka said. He urged Muslims to use the season to pray to Allah for forgiveness of sins.
He also advised Muslims to fear God, stay away from fraudulent activities, deceit, fornication and other vices that were against the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. He also wished Nigerians a prosperous New Year and prayed that God would continue to bless President Goodluck Jonathan and Nigeria’s political and religious leaders.
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