Coventry: Prayers for peace in ruins of bombed cathedral
At noon on the 76th anniversary of the bombing of Coventry, a group gathered in the ruins of the old cathedral to remember that event and the people of Syria and others in the Middles East who suffer the devastation of war today.
Ann Farr writes: "We prayed for the thousands who have been killed, for those trapped inside besieged towns and the millions who have been forced to flee their homes. The Lampedusa Cross, made from the wood of ruined boats carrying refugees to the island reminded us of the tragic loss of life of so many."
In Syria, more than 400,000 people have been killed in the war. 6.5 have been internally displaced and at least 4.8 million are now refugees outside the country.
Coventry was bombed many times during the Second World War, but the night of 14 November was particularly devastating. More than 4,300 homes were destroyed and two thirds of the city's buildings were damaged,including two hospitals and two churches. Around 568 people were killed - the exact number was never confirmed. 863 were badly injured and 393 suffered less serious injuries.