ECUMENICAL PRAYER SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE

 

Location: Entrance of the Timicheg Tunnel, Gent-Sint-Pieters Train Station

1. Opening Call to Gathering

Priest/Pastor:

We gather today at this sacred site, a place where history, memory, and hope

converge. We stand on this ground that bears witness to the sorrowful past, yet we

look forward with a shared commitment to human dignity and the sanctity of life. In this ecumenical service, we unite our hearts across different cultures and peoples.

Let us pause in silence to ground ourselves in reverence for the past, faithful witness in the present, and hope for the future.

(A Statement of the Cordillera Community in Belgium will be read)

Priest/Pastor:

Lord, Creator and Giver of life, be present with us as we remember, honor, and

pledge our commitment to a better world.

All: Amen.

2. Scripture Reading

Short introduction before the scriptural readings:

(The Holy Scripture reminds us that true faith is not measured by rituals alone, but by our commitment to justice, compassion, and humble service. As we remember the victims and survivors of human trafficking and as we celebrate friendship and

solidarity among peoples, let us hear these words.)

 

First Reading: A reading from the Book of the Prophet Micah 6:6-8 (NRSV

Translation)

‘With what shall I come before the LORD,

and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,

with calves a year old?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,

with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the LORD require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

 

Gospel reading: A reading from the Gospel of Matthew 25: 31-40 (NRSV Translation)

 

When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the

goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the

king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was

hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I

was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’

Reader:

We remember Timicheg and his companions, our Igorot ancestors, and all those who suffered the indignity of exploitation far from home. We acknowledge that true moral progress begins when we courageously confront historical realities. Today, we are reminded that every human being bears an inherent dignity that no system can strip away.

As we honor the UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and Timicheg Day, we pray for the strength to be the voice for the voiceless. May our remembrance here today transform historical trauma into a living commitment to dismantle modern forms of human exploitation and oppression.

3. Universal Prayers of the People

Priest/Pastor: Let us bring our prayers for justice and renewal before the Almighty.

Let our response be: “Lord, hear our prayer for human dignity.”

● For the Ancestors: We give thanks for the resilience of our ancestors,

especially Timicheg. May their memory be eternal, and may their struggles

guide our path toward healing and cultural reconciliation.

All: Lord, hear our prayer for human dignity.

● For Victims of Modern Exploitation: We pray for all victims of human

trafficking-the men, women, and children from all over the globe who are taken

to other countries and subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Break

their chains, comfort their spirits, and grant them swift liberation and

restoration.

All: Lord, hear our prayer for human dignity.

● For Global Leaders and Communities: We pray for governments, international

bodies, and local communities—including the Province of Mountain Province

and the Government of East Flanders. Grant them wisdom and courage to

build bridges of true friendship and enact policies that protect the most

vulnerable and promote human dignity.

 

All: Lord, hear our prayer for human dignity.

4. Wreath-Laying and Closing Blessing

(The wreath is gently placed at the entrance of the tunnel.)

Priest/Pastor:

We lay this wreath as a living symbol of our respect for the past, lifelong dedication to justice, and our commitment to bring an end to slavery in all its forms. Amagen mi paina, ta asi oway nas di. Et waday kaasina.

May the Creator bless this Cordillera community in Belgium and all who pass through this tunnel. May we go forth from this place as agents of peace, instruments of justice, keepers of sacred history and guardians of human life. May July 30 endure forever as a beacon of global renewal.

Go in peace, solidarity, and friendship.

All: Thanks be to God!

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Prepared for the July 25 Ecumenical Prayer Service of Remembrance in anticipation of the observance of July 30 as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and International Day of Friendship proclaimed by the United Nations and also of the Provincial Government of Mountain Province’s declaration of every July 30 as Timicheg Day Against Trafficking in Persons.