* Religious leaders from the Catholic and Lutheran Churches also participated in the service

ASMARA, Eritrea - Prayer services and sermons in commemoration of Martyrs' Day were held at St. Michael Church and Al-Khulafae Al-Rashideen Grand Mosque in the capital city, Asmara.

In the morning hours, a prayer service was conducted led by His Reverence Abune Basilios I, 5th Patriarch of the Orthodox Tewahdo Church of Eritrea, along with heads of various dioceses and other Church leaders.

Religious leaders from the Catholic and Lutheran Churches also participated in the service. During the event, Abune Basilios delivered a speech emphasizing the profound significance of the day and the solemn responsibilities it entails for every citizen.

Merigeta Mulugeta Simon from the Office of the Patriarch, indicating that the martyrs paid their precious lives for their people and country, urged citizens to renew their pledge to live up to their expectations.

Similarly, in the afternoon hours, Salat and Dua services were conducted at the Al-Khulafae Al-Rashideen Grand Mosque, led by Sheik Salem Ibrahim Almukhtar, Mufti of Eritrea.

Sheik Salem Ibrahim said that the martyrs are our heroes who sacrificed their lives for independence, national sovereignty, and for us to live in peace and harmony. He also called for reinforced contributions in support of the families of martyrs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.