DELPHOS, OH (WLIO) - With conflicts going on all over the world, Delphos St. John is looking to shine the light of peace during the Christmas Season. The Peace Light was shining bright during the annual Delphos Community Christmas Service Monday night. This is the fifth time that the church has gotten the flame from the nonprofit Peace Light North America. Every November, an Austrian child is picked to journey to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to light the candle from the eternal flame. After a ceremony Austria, the flame is passed from person to person to be brought to the rest of the world to spread the message of peace and friendship. But with war in the middle east right now, the tradition almost didn’t happen.
“Back in early November, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to get it,” says Pam Hickey, volunteer at Delphos St. John. “We didn’t know if we could safely send someone to the grotto, to bring it out of the grotto to bring it to Austria. And when we got the news, it was almost like this huge sigh of hope, that OK if we can do this, there is hope for peace in the world.”
“Watch what is going on in the Holy Land today, and what is happening in Israel today, it’s just a sad situation for everyone. There are no winner, everybody is a loser. War is really the greatest failure of humanity. It really empowers us to seek peace in all things, even in our own personal relationships, to seek peace wherever possible,” says Fr. Dennis Walsh, Pastor, Delphos St. John Evangelist Catholic Church.
St. John’s is selling candles so you can take the Peace Light home. The lantern will be located inside Delphos St. John Catholic Church, in front of the St. Joseph statue until January 6th.
