By Tope Sunday
Abuja
A former President of the Senate, David Mark, has cautioned Nigerian Pilgrims to this year’s Holy Pilgrimage to Jerusalem against any attempt to abscond during the exercise.
Mark also asked them to be good ambassadors of the country while on the pilgrimage, urging them to value the integrity and international image of Nigeria.
A statement issued by his Media Assistant, Paul Mumeh, quoted him as speaking while addressing the Pilgrims of St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Abuja, to this year’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem yesterday.
The former President of Senate also urged Nigerians to resort to prayers in order to surmount the socio-economic and political challenges facing the country.
He said that Nigeria and the World at large needed prayer to overcome the threat to peace and insecurity ravaging mankind.
“Nations are facing challenges of insecurity. Terrorism and Insurgency are ravaging human race. We can all resort to prayers for God to intervene. That is my charge to you as you depart to the Holy Land today,” he said.
In his Homily, the Chaplain of St. Mulumba’s Catholic Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Innocent Jooji, reminded the pilgrims that “the mission is purely holy engagement (prayer); it is neither a jamboree nor shopping spree.”
Jooji also implored them to comply with the rules and regulations of pilgrimage and to avoid any act likely to tarnish the image of Nigeria.
