Members of Pax Christi Merseyside gathered in Liverpool city centre on Ash Wednesday for their annual Walk of Repentance, stopping along the route for prayer, silence, song and reflection. 

The witness drew deeply on the meaning of Ash Wednesday - “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” - and focused particularly on the continuing moral and humanitarian reality of nuclear weapons.

The walk began at St Luke’s Church, before moving through Bold Street, Church Street and Lord Street, and past the Law Courts. 

Reflections during the walk drew on the day’s Scripture readings and echoed the call of Pope Leo XIV’s 2026 World Day of Peace message, “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace.” Participants highlighted not only the threat posed by nuclear weapons, but also their wider humanitarian, environmental and economic consequences.

Photo credit: Paul L Turnbull, www.flickr.com/photos/m13photography