UNIQUE NEW SERVICE TO LAUNCH ON FEAST OF ANNUNCIATION - CHRISTIANS WORLDWIDE ABLE TO WATCH IN REAL TIME AS PERSONAL CANDLES ARE LIT IN HOLY LAND

(NAZARETH, THE HOLY LAND, X MARCH 2007) – A new website will give millions of Christians the opportunity to pray and light their own personal candles at the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, via the Internet. The site, www.mirezo.com, will be officially launched during the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th, the Christian holiday celebrating the revelation that the Virgin Mary would conceive Jesus.

For a symbolic $10 fee, a worshipper places a prayer request online. A priest from the Annunciation Church then lights a candle and offers a personal prayer on that worshipper’s behalf. At the designated time, the worshipper can watch the live ceremony in real time. An emailable version of the ceremony can also be saved to be shared with friends and family.

Funds raised will also be donated to the Church as well as to local Christian communities.

The ritual use of candles has long played an integral role in Christianity, symbolizing the light of a divine presence and the emanating of joy. It is considered ideal for candles to be lit at the holiest of Churches.

The site, formerly known as the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth and all Galilee, is believed to be the site where the Virgin Mary went daily to draw water, and was ultimately the place where her immaculate pregnancy was first revealed to her by the Angel Gabriel. In many respects, the very essence of Christianity was created at the site. As a result, many worshippers travel great distances for the opportunity to pray and light candles at the Church.

With the blessing of the Bishop of Nazareth and the support of local churches, Mirezo ("my prayer," in Spanish) is breaking down all practical obstacles - time, cost of travel, concerns about security – and enabling worshipers the chance to connect to one of the three holiest Churches in the world.

"Some of my fondest memories growing up in Nazareth took place when my father would bring me to visit the Holy Church of the Annunciation," said Said Salem, Mirezo's manager. "I want to give this same opportunity to millions of people around the world regardless of their location."

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Mirezo, “my prayer” in Spanish, is a web site that allows people across the world to light candles and offer personal prayers at Nazareth’s Church of the Annunciation, via the Internet. The ceremony can then be watched live from one of Christianity’s holiest sites. www.mirezo.com

For more information:
Dani Wassner, Ruder Finn
011-972-54-467-6961 wassnerd@ruderfinn.com