Eucharist gives hope to those in war, says Iraqi patriarch

Published: 2005-10-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Eucharist is a source of needed strength and hope to those in the midst of war, conflict or personal difficulties, said several participants in the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel-Karim Delly of war-torn Baghdad, Iraq, said Jesus "is our strength and our consolation" during times of "difficulty and persecution." Jesus in the Eucharist "is the light that illuminates the path that leads us to eternal life" and is "the living manna that gives us life and sustains us," he told the Synod of Bishops Oct. 6. According to information released by the Vatican, his remarks were met with applause.

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