CAMBRIDGE — Members of the Dorchester Faith Alliance gathered Sunday afternoon at the entrance of Cambridge Marketplace on U.S. 50 to pray for an end to gun violence and peace among religious traditions. The group is composed of pastors and lay members of many local churches.

Among the alliance’s activities are the annual Walk of the Cross, Lenten lunches, and large peace vigils. “We have a lot of projects,” member Pat Nugent said. “We’re in the process of a peace-building initiative.”

Recent attacks, however, have prompted more meetings. “We’ve been holding smaller ones with unfortunate regularity,” said the Rev. Robert White, alliance chair.

“I woke up Easter morning to the news that there was violence against Christians,” the Rev. White said. “It has been a week in which every major religious group in the Abrahamic tradition has suffered an insult.”

On Easter, suicide bombers attacked church services on Sri Lanka. Reports indicate that 253 people were killed, with more than 500 injured.

On April 23 in Sunnyvale, California, a man drove his car into a group of pedestrians, believing they were Muslims. Eight were injured.

California experienced another act of violence on Saturday, when a man shot at a group of worshipers in a San Diego synagogue. One woman was killed while protecting her rabbi.

At the vigil, worshipers prayed for an end to gun violence and hatred, especially against members of differing religions. The Rev. White read from the Book of Micah (4.1-5) including the well known third verse, saying, “He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sward against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

To learn more about the Dorchester Faith Alliance, email pastorrmwhite@gmail.com.