Christians begin Holy Week with prayer vigils at atomic weapons bases

On Palm Sunday, a group of Christians from different denominations, prayed the Stations of Cross as they walked around the perimeter of Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment.

This morning, (Monday) seven Christians disrupted production of Britains nuclear arsenal with a blockade of Burghfield Atomic Weapons Establishment nearby. Arriving at 6.30am, they chained their hands together and lay in the gateway preventing vehicles entering the base.

A spokesman said: "The prayer vigil and blockade are inspired by the events of Holy Week, when Jesus turned over tables in the temple, confronting the political and military powers of his day. Those gathered are calling on the Church to enter Holy Week remembering and repenting the sin of the nuclear weapons industry.

"As Parliament dissolves today in preparation for the general election they hope MPs will return to their constituencies accompanied by the message that trident renewal is a vote loser."

Jo Frew, 35, involved in both the vigil and blockade said: "Nuclear weapons are a threat to everything I believe in: peace, justice, and the wellbeing of creation. We see in Jesus' actions a clear imperative that faith compels us to act. That is why we are here today to call for an end to the atomic weapons industry and for Trident not to be replaced."

Earlier this month, 26 faith leaders from eight faith traditions, among them Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool and National President of Pax Christi, signed a statement in advance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference meetings scheduled for April urging nuclear weapons states, of which the UK is one, and the international community, to develop a robust plan of action that will lead us to a world free of nuclear weapons. For more information on that statement, see: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=26965