On Friday 28 June, 'Dying of Hope' was celebrated in Abidjan, in the church of Sainte Jeanne d'Arc in Treichville. The prayer in memory of those who lost their lives in desert and sea voyages reached Africa. It was held in one of the quarters of the metropolis of the Ivory Coast, a country from which many young people leave for the European continent.
The meeting, promoted by the Community of Sant'Egidio, was joined by the Ivorian Bishops' Conference's Pastoral Care for Migrants, representatives of some Evangelical Churches and other associations. Several families of missing migrants, representatives of various youth organisations and the association of Ivorians repatriated from Tunisia, whose 'journey of hope' had come to a painful end, were also present.
In his homily Frère Félicien Aguié - who presided over the prayer for the Archdiocese of Abidjan - echoed the words of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi in Rome on 19 June: "For those who die at sea, we must weep even here in Africa as a mother weeps for her children and help as we can because a hand that saves is a piece of Paradise on earth".
As they heard about the Community's initiative, the leaders of the nearby mosque also wished to join in the memory of those who lost their lives on the 'voyages of hope' with a celebration held at the same time. The imam took up the message in his Friday sermon.
At the end of the celebration, in the church of Sainte Jeanne d'Arc, all the participants made a commitment to reflect on how to make young people aware of the risks of such perilous journeys that all too often rob a significant part of the young African generation of its future.
