Niamey, 12 May, 2021 / 7:15 pm (ACI Africa).
Catholic Bishops in Niger have extended their goodwill message to the Muslim faithful in the West African nation for concluding the Holy Month of Ramadan, marked by the celebration of Eid al-Fitr (the festival of breaking the fast).
In their Wednesday, May 12 video message posted on Facebook, the Bishops expressed optimism that the Muslim faithful in the country had spent the holy month of Ramadan praying for a just and peaceful society.
“It is a great joy for us Bishops of Niger to send you, in the name of all the Catholic communities of Niger, our best wishes at the end of the holy month of Ramadan,” the Catholic Bishops in Niger say in the message that was read out by Archbishop Djalwana Laurent Lompo of Niamey Archdiocese.
The Catholic Church leaders express their awareness of how challenging the holy month of Ramadan has been for Muslim faithful in Niger “because of the intense heat, the high cost of living and terrorist attacks in several parts of the country leading to the loss of human life.”
The Bishops who are members of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina-Niger (CEBN) continue, “Ramadan as a time of prayer, almsgiving, fasting and reconciliation has been for you a precious moment to return to God by seeking His mercy, forgiveness, wisdom and peace in this difficult time.”
