Scotland: Christians pray together at Faslane nuclear base

Today, Scottish Quakers, Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and various other Christians from all across Scotland gathered at the gates of Faslane Nuclear Submarine base on the banks of Gareloch, to pray for peace.

We also gathered to give witness to our shared opposition to nuclear weapons and mark the 80th anniversary of the devastating atomic bombs dropped upon the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th of August 1945.

Together we prayed, sang hymns and listened to reflections from William Nolan Archbishop of Glasgow, Mark Strange Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Rosemary Frew Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

The entrance to the base was adorned with various peace banners and flags, including our own Glasgow Catholic Worker Nagasaki Cross.

We carried our replica of the Nagasaki cross because the bomb dropped on Nagasaki detonated 500 metres from Urakami cathedral, completely destroying it while Mass was being said inside.

The blast heat-wave incinerated and buried all the faithful inside the Cathedral, only tge cross survived amid the rubble.

Today the Nagasaki Cross is a symbol of unity and reconciliation.

Today Scotland's Christian denominations gathered together in love as peacemakers, to give witness to our unity found in the body of Christ.

It is our most fervent prayer that this message of Christ's love and unity be spread among all humanity, so that threat of nuclear obliteration, be banished forever.