The Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama has urged Christians to pray fervently to overcome trials and enhance better economy and country.

The Archbishop gave the advice on Sunday during the dedication of the new building of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

While expressing satisfaction with the project, the cleric said: “we are filled with great joy, as we are gathered here to witness the solemn dedication of this magnificent place of worship, God’s own house, a dwelling of the Most High.

He commended those who had contributed in different measures to the erection and completion of the project of faith, which he described as the fruit of several years of prayer, patience, hard work, cooperation, enormous sacrifices and generosity.

“The dedication of this physical building is an invitation to also build beautiful spiritual and social relationships with God and with one another.

“We must make every effort to also obtain the grace to make our hearts a more befitting home for God.

“This dedication is an invitation to hope, especially for the many new pastoral areas in different parts of our archdiocese.

“Some of them gather to pray in temporary places for worship, with no permanent church land, no church edifice or rectories, but struggling to keep their catholic communities alive, in spite of their prevailing challenges.

“St. Paul encourages us all to be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labour is not in vain (I Cor. 15:58),” he said.

In his speech, a former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, appealed to Christians to pray in unity for progress, stability and peace to reign in Nigeria.

”Christians should wake up to their responsibilities.

“Prayer is the master key. We have to continue praying. Even in the Bible, there were so many troubles against Christians, but when they prayed, they overcame the troubles. We shall overcome our own difficulties, in Jesus name.

”Government should wake up to its responsibilities. People are not living as expected, and where this is happening, we all know what it may lead to,” he said.

He also called on government to address the issue of hunger, scarcity and insecurity in the nation so that Nigeria would be a better place to live in.

Onaiyekan said that the church being dedicated was in line with ensuring a befitting place of worship, saying that it came with lots of blessings from God.

On his part, the Parish Priest of the newly-dedicated church, Rev Fr Rowland Nwakpuda, called on Nigerians to move closer to God.

He also urged them to allow love and peace to reign as panacea to the myriad of problems confronting the country.

Nwakpuda expressed great joy over the completion of the project, which lasted for 14 years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the archbishop declared Feb. 27 of every year as a solemnity for the parish.