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A peace vigil was held in London on Thursday, 30 April, at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Kensington to pray for peace in the Middle East. The vigil was attended by Bishop Jim Curry, Lead Bishop for the Holy Land for the Bishops' Conference as well as Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England, and His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Great Britain and Ireland and Churches Together in England's President for the Orthodox Churches. During the service, an address was given by Dr Harry Hagopian, a public international lawyer who was also Assistant General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, and Executive Director of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee. Dr Hagopian reminded the congregation that “sustainable peace is not achieved through force, but through justice, equality, and the recognition of our shared humanity. It is our duty to amplify this call in every community, in every church, and in every heart.” He closed by recalling the powerful words of St Francis of Assisi’s prayer for peace and their relevance today, "in a world of crisis, chaos, and dog-eat-dog tensions."

Just as we were lamenting the fact that we had, with some sadness, placed our 'Middle East Analysis' podcasts on hold to consider the long-term future of the series, something cataclysmic and literally earth-shattering took place to shake us from our self-imposed slumber to talk about the war in Iran and its wider regional consequences. Joining us is the voice of 'Middle East Analysis', the international lawyer, regional consultant, negotiator and commentator Dr Harry Hagopian. He sits in our studio alongside the Right Reverend Jim Curry, Lead Bishop for the Holy Land for the Catholic Church in England and Wales. This 'Iran Special' runs for exactly 52-minutes. In fact, MEA specials, to cover exceptional events may show us a future path for these podcasts. We hope you take something from the conversation.

It's the end of the world as we know it. Wasn't that what REM once sang? Ironically when the famous US rock band from Athens, Georgia committed those lyrics to popular music folklore, the world made more sense. Today, after 17 years and many laughs, smiles, tears (and the odd exasperated outburst), Dr Harry Hagopian brings the curtain down on a remarkable podcasting run with this, the final Middle East Analysis. The epitaph reads: Here lies Middle East Analysis, 2009 to 2026, it lived hard, loved dearly and asks for your prayers as it returns to its maker. Something like that. So for next hour, alongside our guest, Bishop Jim Curry, who takes the lead for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales for matters related to the Holy Land, we look back on almost two decades of culture and conflict, rancour and resilience not to mention the insight, knowledge and razor-sharp analysis of the good Doctor. But is this really the end? Seemingly so but Harry leaves the door perhaps not open, but slightly ajar by saying au revoir rather than adieu.