From January 18 to 25, 2025, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity returns. What is it? What is the chosen theme? What is its connection with the Creed?
We will discover this in the article, along with the significance that this annual event has for the Church and for each of us.
In prayer for the unity of the Church
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an ecumenical initiative in which Christians from around the world, belonging to different traditions and denominations, come together spiritually in prayer for the unity of the Church.
In the Southern Hemisphere, where January is a holiday period, the Week of Prayer is celebrated on other dates, for example during Pentecost, an equally significant time for the unity of the Church. However, regardless of the date, it is important that throughout the year we seek to find an opportunity to pray together with all the Churches and ecclesial communities and to continue along the path toward visible unity. It is an invitation not to grow tired of seeking suitable ways to respond fully to Jesus’ prayer: “That they may all be one.”
Believing in the resurrection
The theme for this year is: “Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:26), and it is inspired by the dialogue between Jesus and Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus.
Jesus leads Martha to believe in the resurrection, revealing his identity as the Messiah: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if they die, will live; indeed, whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (vv. 25-26). After this statement, Jesus asks Martha a very direct and deeply personal question: “Do you believe this?” (v. 26). Like Martha, the first Christians did not remain indifferent to these words of Jesus, which had touched their hearts, and sought to give a unified response to Jesus’ question: “Do you believe this?”, in order to profess the same faith. Thus, the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea sought to find the right words to express in its entirety the faith in the mystery of the Lord’s incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection. This led to the promulgation of the creed in which all Christian Churches still recognize themselves today.
The First Christian Council
In this context, this year’s anniversary is particularly significant, as all Christendom celebrates the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical Council in the history of the Church, convened in Nicaea by Emperor Constantine in 325 AD. A pivotal event in the history of the Church that represented a crucial moment for addressing theological divisions in the still “young” Christianity and consolidating unity among believers. Pope Francis says that this anniversary «reminds us that we profess the same faith and share the same responsibility to offer signs of hope that bear witness to God’s presence in the world». Hence the invitation to “walk together” in charity and dialogue.
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we therefore have the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate Christians’ faith, as expressed in the Creed formulated during that Council, a faith that is still alive and fruitful today.
The prayer proposal
For the Week of Prayer, the liturgical texts, which offer ideas for ecumenical celebrations, with prayers and reflections, were prepared by the Bose Monastic Community, an ecumenical monastery of brothers and sisters belonging to different Christian churches who seek God in obedience to the Gospel, fraternal communion, and celibacy.
Since, as mentioned above, this is the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the proposed prayer focuses on the Creed of Nicaea and Constantinople, normally used during the General Assemblies of the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical events. Consequently, the biblical readings directly address the theme of faith, both personal and communal, summarized in the expressions “I believe” and “We believe”.
Jesus’ question, «Do you believe this?», is the foundation of the Christian faith, runs throughout history, and deeply challenges each of us as well. Once again, at this particular time when we are celebrating the Jubilee as pilgrims of hope, Christ tells us: «I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?». Each of us is personally called to give an answer: what is your response?
From January 18 to 25, we all pray together for the achievement of full unity according to Christ’s will: «That we may all be one».
