Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC

At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus' prayer for his disciples that "they may be one so that the world may believe" (see John 17.21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. The event that touches off this special experience is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul. In the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches often find other days to celebrate it, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for unity.

In order to prepare for the annual celebration, ecumenical partners in a particular region are invited to produce a basic liturgical text on a biblical theme. Then an international editorial team of WCC and Roman Catholic representatives refines this text to ensure that it can be prayed throughout the world, and to link it with the search for the visible unity of the church.

The text is jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the WCC, through the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order, which also accompanies the entire production process of the text. The final material is sent to WCC member churches and Roman Catholic episcopal conferences, and they are invited to translate the text and contextualize or adapt it for their own use.

World Council of Churches (WCC) interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca is inviting the global ecumenical family and friends to join the WCC for a livestreamed public prayer service on 25 January, the final day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

"As restrictions in many places due to the coronavirus pandemic are making it difficult to physically gather, this global online celebration will allow us to pray together wherever we are," said Sauca. "Prayer is one of the fruits that is borne out of our abiding in Christ's love."

Traditionally the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated from 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul, especially in the northern hemisphere. The theme for 2021 is "Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit."

The WCC interim general secretary Rev Prof Dr Ioan Sauca has invited the global ecumenical family and friends for the livestreamed public prayer service on Monday, 25 January 2021, 2pm CET. To join visit: www.oikoumene.org/live

Resources for Week of Christian Unity (English): www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/worship-and-background-material-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2021