Christians mark 5th Syrian civil war anniversary with #PrayForRefugees campaign

Lorraine Caballero Thursday, March 17, 2016

A man at a site recently hit by what activists said was a Scud missile in Aleppo's Ard al-Hamra neighborhood, February 23, 2013. | REUTERS / Muzaffar Salman

Mar. 15 marked the fifth anniversary of Syria's civil war, and Christians commemorated the event by launching the #PrayForRefugees campaign.

World Vision, World Relief, Operation Mobilisation, Lutheran World Relief, the International Mission Board (IMB), and other Christian groups marked the fifth anniversary of Syria's civil war by making the day a special day of prayer using the hashtag #PrayForRefugees. The civil war has so far displaced almost 7 million Syrians from their homes and caused them to live as refugees.

The #PrayForRefugees campaign aims to spread awareness of the Syrian civil war, which has left up to 470,000 people dead in its wake, according to Religion News.

Although the main focus of the #PrayForRefugees campaign is on Syria, the involved Christian groups are also aiming to raise awareness of the growing number of refugees worldwide, which has already reached 60 million.

"I fear that most people in our churches are paying little or no attention to this crisis," IMB head David Platt said.

World Relief President Stephen Bauman said not everyone may agree on a single political solution for the refugee crisis, but all Christians can pray for peace in the country. He also urged Christians to pray for those caught in the crossfire and the ones who render their services to the victims of the war, the report relays.

Some have done more than just pray for the Syrian refugees. Indianapolis-based Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Tobin has taken in four refugees despite the absence of federal funds for resettlement programs.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, along with 30 other governors, have taken efforts to ban the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S. For them, the move would only open their doors to potential terrorists.

However, federal Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has ordered the release of funds for resettlement, saying the ban is unconstitutional discrimination. Another 200 refugees are expected to be resettled in Indiana this year.

The #PrayForRefugees campaign runs from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.