A worldwide fellowship of 349 churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service
Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity
At least once a year, many Christians become aware of the
great diversity of ways of adoring God. Hearts are touched, and people realize
that their neighbours' ways are not so strange.
The event that touches off this special experience is
something called the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Traditionally celebrated between 18-25 January (in the northern hemisphere) or
at Pentecost (in the southern hemisphere), the Week of Prayer enters into
congregations and parishes all over the world. Pulpits are exchanged, and
special ecumenical worship services are arranged.
Ecumenical partners in a particular region are asked to
prepare a basic text on a biblical theme. Then an international group with
WCC-sponsored (Protestant and Orthodox) and Roman Catholic participants edits
this text and ensures that it is linked with the search for the unity of the
church.
The text is jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity and 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 member churches and Roman Catholic dioceses, and they are invited to
translate the text and contextualize it for their own use.
Theme for
2013
"What does God require of us?" (cf. Micah 6:6-8)
