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over the villages, the two largest glaciers in
the Alps—the Aletsch and Fiescher—grew
over the next two centuries, reaching their
maximum lengths around 1850. The most
dangerous area was near Lake Marjelen, the
lowest point. When the lake overflowed, three
hundred and fifty-three million cubic feet (10
million cubic metres) of water inundated the
valley below, damaging property and killing
people.

“This will not work without sacrifice,
but it means we will preserve the

wonders of our world for our children
Several times the local citizens had to rebuild
from scratch. The villagers of Fiesch and and grandchildren.”.
Fieschertal in canton Valais offered prayers
against the advancing Aletsch glacier that
threatened their homes. They tried to stop great danger. Alps and pastures vanish, and
the glacier with crosses, some of which can towns die out.”
still be seen today, and made formal vows to
live virtuously and pray against the growth Can the Pope and the reverse prayers save
of the Aletsch glacier and the flooding of the Glacier today?
Lake Märjelen. The bishop of Sion, the Pope’s Will even this be enough to tame Climate
ambassador in Bern, took their prayer to Pope Change? Researchers are predicting that by
Innocent XI for his official approval. 2050 temperatures in the Swiss Alps will rise
In addition, since 1862, the local villagers by 1.8 degrees Celsius in winter and by 2.7
have held an annual five-hour procession degrees Celsius in the summer.
to Ernerwald chapel on July 31, St Ignatius’s
feast day, to reinforce their prayers. Since that What can we do as individuals?
time the glacier has never flooded Fiesch, and Global rethinking is necessary to preserve
over 300 years it has retreated 3,5 km – 1km glaciers worldwide, and this will be discussed
since 2000. “We prayed for the ice to recede, during the upcoming meeting on Climate
and our prayer worked – too well”, say the Change in Glasgow in November 2021. This
villagers. Today, the villagers no longer worry was also discussed in Switzerland in June,
about floods, but about having less drinking and the vote decided that every person not
water, energy, and food for their animals, as only has responsibility but is deeply involved.
well as more forest fires. We must become more sustainable in our
In 2009 the local parish council petitioned consumer behaviour and habits. This will not
the Vatican to allow a change in the prayer’s work without sacrifice, but it means we will
wording. A year later the Holy See agreed, and preserve the wonders of our world for our
Pope Benedict gave his blessing for the vow to children and grandchildren. Admittedly, the
be reversed. Now, on 31 July, people in Fiesch situation looks catastrophic, but if we want
pray, “The glacier is ice, ice is water and water our glacier to survive we are ideally placed to
is life. Without the glacier, the springs run dry see and reflect upon it. Visiting the Aletsch
and brooks evaporate. Men and women face Glacier is the first step in protecting it.

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