Merseyside: Pax Christi Peace Walk and Vigil

Photo by John Usher

Ash Wednesday 2025 was marked by several vigils and prayers for peace in our troubled world. This year events were held in Liverpool , Leeds, Coventry and London.

With the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and Russia and many conflicts in Africa, there is much to be concerned about. The existence and threatened use of nuclear weapons makes the situation even more volatile.

Pax Christi's walk in Liverpool was attended by around 20-30 people with some new faces. Although small in number we were clearly visible, thanks to our placards, music, and bell ringing on a fairly busy day in the city centre.

Our vigil focused on nuclear weapons and was an act of repentance for the UK's possession of the Trident nuclear submarine system . We also reflected on the effects of conventional arms sales, as our country is the seventh largest exporter of weapons; we continue to supply weapons to Israel, despite its continued violations of international law, and to Saudi Arabia, where torture and repression makes it one of Amnesty International's top countries of concern.

During our vigil we listened to some extracts from Called To Be Peacemakers , a statement on arms control and disarmament by the Catholic Bishops ' Conference of England and Wales. We heard their call to 'ultimately forsake its nuclear arsenal' and 'redirect the economic, social and political resources spent on nuclear weapons towards promoting the universal common good .' Ashes were distributed and an image of a Trident nuclear submarine was also marked. It is worth noting that one single Trident warhead has 8 times the explosive power of the atom bomb used in Japan in 1945.

On 1st March in New York the third meeting of states parties to the Nuclear Ban treaty began. (Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ) Although our government refuses to attend these meetings and has not signed up to the treaty, a number of people from UK civil society have attended as observers and we await developments.

Concluding our walk at Liverpool Town Hall, we heard a powerful testimony from the Japanese survivor, Setsuko Thurlow, aged just 13 in 1945. It reminds all the nuclear powers of their responsibility to enter into serious discussions for disarmament.

We hope and pray that our small witness connected with others around the world and conveys the urgency of steps towards disarmament. We urge our city of Liverpool to adopt the ban and to join other cities of peace around the world.

LINKS

Called to be Peacemakers - Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales: www.cbcew.org.uk/introduction-called-to-be-peacemakers/

Hibakusha statement: www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/pdf/japanconfederation.pdf

Pax Christi Liverpool meets every month at Saint Michaels Catholic Church

For more information contact: janharper20211@outlook.com