The chaplain for Filipinos in London has offered prayers, hope and encouragement for the crew of the Galaxy Leader who remain in captivity one year after their vessel was hijacked by Houthi forces on 19 November 2023.
Fr Francisco Cruz CM prayed for the safe return and speedy release of the crew at a special Mass and Vigil organised by global maritime charity Stella Maris to mark the one year anniversary of the crew’s capture.
'We trust in God to bring those who are in captivity home, to be united with their families,' he said in his homily at the Church of St Anselm and St Cecilia in Holborn, London on 19 November.
About 60 people attended the Mass, including members of the London Filipino community and Stella Maris employees, trustees, supporters and volunteers. Also present were representatives from several maritime organisations and seafarer welfare service providers.
At the Mass, prayers were also said for other seafarers and their families caught up in wars and for those working in war zones, coinciding with the 1,000th day of the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Galaxy Leader was hijacked while enroute to India, and all 25 seafarers on board were taken hostage. The crew consists of 17 Filipinos, two Bulgarians, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans, and one Romanian.
Stella Maris CEO and National Director Tim Hill MBE said, 'It was very moving to see people coming together to pray for the Galaxy Leader crew’s safe release, for their families and for all seafarers operating in war zones around the world. Seafarers are ordinary, hardworking people doing outstanding work to keep global trade moving.
'Alongside other maritime welfare service providers, Stella Maris is actively supporting the crew members’ families in the Philippines and our Stella Maris chaplain and team in Odesa are supporting families in Ukraine,'
Picture credit: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk
