Catalogue Number
NMLH.2022.227
Object Name
Leaflet
Title
Prayer for Peace leaflet
Date
1982
Description
This is an a5 leaflet. It is white with blue images and text. This leaflet is titled "Prayer for Peace." There is an image of a globe, with a white dove and white lines surrounding it. The front of the leaflet has a blue background, with white texting reading "lead me from death, to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peacefill our heart, our world, our universe." When you open the leaflet, there is the image of a dove and a globe again. Underneath this there is more blue text, reading "this initiative is based on the conviction that there is power in prayer, particularly in united prayer/meditation/positive thought. This prayer is offered by millions of people around the world, and form a continuous chain of positive thought and prayer which encirclesthe earth and helps to achieve the profound change of heart needed at this perilous time to ensure the survival of the planet. It is intentional that the prayer begins with the individual: "Lead me...". The seeds of peace must germinate within each of us; they will then flower naturally into the collective and the universal; "Let peace fill our....""People around the world are offering this prayer for one minute at midday every day. This means that there is around the globe a continious vigil. The prayer is offered with particular focus on the Special Session on Disarmament at the United Nations in June 1982, in the hope that world governments will have the wisdom and courage to implement a comprehensive programme for world disarmament. It is also hoped that the prayer will continue as a regular part of people's lives for a long time to come. The strength of sustained, focused prayer is magnified beyond our limited imaginations. Prayer offers the hope of support, survival and change. True prayer is a genuine act of peacemaking. This initiative has recieved support from the leaders of the main faiths in Britain, and was approved by representaties from many faiths incluing the Anglican, Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches, the Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Baha'i faiths, at a meeting hosted by the Dean of Westminster , the Very Revd. Edward Carpenter. Mother Teresa of Calcutta made the first public pronouncement of the prayer at an inspiring meeting in St James's Church, Piccadilly, on 7th July 1981. The prayer was officially launched at a significant and uplifting interfaith service in Westminster Abbey at midday on August 6th 1981 (Hiroshima Day). Since then the prayer has spread around the world and is translated and used in over 20 languages. On 7th March 1982 the prayer was launched in the U.S.A at a splendid service in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York." The rest of this leaflets discusses the movement for peace through prayer, while also including those who do not believe in God. The leaflet states the prayer was written by Satish Kumar, a former Jain monk. The remainder of the leaflet discusses ways in which the prayer can be publicised, and then has an array of quotes from different religious figures, such as the Dalai Lama, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and mother Theresa. This leaflet was made in the midst of the Cold War, in efforts to aid disarmament and peace.
