Press Release No: 15/32
31 August 2015
Brussels

The Conference of European Churches encourages all to join in a day of prayer for creation and its healing. On 1 September, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and other Christians around the world will offer thanksgiving for the gifts of creation and pray for its protection and renewal.

Commemoration of this day dates to 1989 with an invitation from the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople to all Christians to pray for the protection of the environment. Observation of this day has since grown to a global ecumenical observation. This year, Pope Francis announced a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation to coincide with this significant date.

This day is important for CEC’s ecological and ecumenical concerns. “The desire for climate justice is uniting Christians across Europe, especially as we prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in December,” remarked CEC General Secretary Rev. Dr Guy Liagre. “A day of prayer reminds us that our work must be spiritual as well as practical.”

The Conference of European Churches has a longstanding commitment to climate justice, including through the European Christian Environmental Network and participation in European Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace events leading to COP 21 in Paris.

For more information or an interview, please contact:

Erin Green
Communication Coordinator
Conference of European Churches

Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 234 68 42
Fax +32 2 231 14 13
E-mail: eeg@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 114 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 national council of churches and organisations in partnership. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Brussels and Strasbourg.