The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated globally from Jan. 18-25 each year. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is widely celebrated by Christians of many traditions and denominations, including Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Evangelical communities. Each year, a different group of churches or a specific region is invited to prepare a theme and resources for the week. The theme is often inspired by a biblical text and reflects local contexts and challenges. The week emphasizes our shared faith in Jesus Christ and the hope for reconciliation, justice and peace among all Christians and people of good will.
The theme for the 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is: “Do you believe this?” It is based on the Gospel of Saint John 11:17-27, inspired by Jesus’ question to Martha. This passage narrates Jesus’ visit to Bethany following the death of Lazarus, culminating in Martha’s profound confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
This year’s observance holds special significance, as it marks the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. This anniversary also holds immense significance, as it marks the first ecumenical council in Christian history, convened in 325 A.D. by Emperor Constantine the Great. The council established the Nicaean Creed, a foundational statement of Christian faith affirming the divinity of Christ and the Trinity, which continues to unite Christians who hold to the tenants of our faith as expressed at Nicaea. It also pioneered conciliar governance and canon law, shaping ecclesiastical structures for centuries. This anniversary invites reflection on unity, justice and shared faith amidst all our modern challenges.
Materials for the 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity were prepared by the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. These resources are jointly published by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches, offering prayers and reflections to facilitate ecumenical gatherings and personal meditation. This year’s biblical text, anniversary of Nicaea and prayers for unity encourage Christians worldwide to engage with the question Jesus posed to Martha, reaffirm our faith and work toward the unity that Christ desires for all His followers.
We will be celebrating a prayer service for Christian unity at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26, at Christ the Redeemer Parish, 318 Carl Hasselhan Drive, Atco. We have the pleasure and honor of having both of our bishops joining us. All are invited and welcome to join us for prayer and fellowship. Light refreshments will be served in our parish’s Saint Rita Hall following the service.
In planning the service, we wanted to incorporate the themes of Christian unity, Nicaea and hope. Hope is a central theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year being celebrated throughout the Church. On Jan. 26, these themes will be brought together in a beautiful Taizé prayer format.
I have come to fall in love with the prayer experience known as Taizé. Taizé prayer is a form of meditative worship that originates from the ecumenical Taizé Community in France, founded in 1940 by Brother Roger Schutz. It is characterized by simplicity, silence and repetitive prayer through music and chants. Taizé prayer seeks to create an atmosphere of peace and contemplative reflection, making it accessible to people from all Christian traditions and even those exploring faith. Taizé prayer is inclusive and designed to unite Christians from different denominations. It emphasizes shared worship over doctrinal differences.
The Jubilee of Hope that we are celebrating this year emphasizes the themes of renewal, reconciliation and hope. It serves as a powerful opportunity for promoting ecumenical unity, encouraging Christians of all denominations to come together in faith and prayer. I do hope you will be able to join us Jan. 26 and come together with other baptized Christians as we gather for prayer, seeking and fostering understanding and healing of historical divisions. The Jubilee of Hope embodies Pope Francis’ call for synodality, where all Christians journey together in faith and dialogue, striving for the unity that Jesus prayed in John 17-21: “That they may all be one.” It is a moment of grace for Christians to renew their commitment to working together in service of the Gospel and the world.
Father Joseph D. Wallace is diocesan director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs and pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish, Atco.
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