Photo: World Council of Churches

Press Release No. 16/02
18 January 2016
Brussels

Christians around the world pray for unity

From 18 to 25 January, Christians around the world will participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This annual observance is dedicated to healing divisions and strengthening unity throughout the Church.

The theme for 2016 is from 1 Peter, “Called to proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord,” with materials prepared by the churches of Latvia. A strong fraternal spirit among church leaders shapes ecumenism in this Baltic state. Leaders from Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Baptist churches often release common messages on ethics and social justice. The oldest baptismal font in Latvia, which sits at the centre of the Lutheran cathedral in Riga, illustrates World Council of Churches materials. The font highlights the strong and ancient link between baptism and proclamation.

The Conference of European Churches encourages its Member Churches to contribute to local and national observance of the Week of Prayer.

“The biblical theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year reminds us that God calls us out of darkness into His marvellous light, in order to proclaim God’s mighty acts,” said General Secretary Fr Heikki Huttunen, “In our ecumenical work we are inspired by this promise: Being called by God from darkness to light, we become His Church in the deepest sense of the word, when we proclaim God`s mighty acts. Proclaiming God’s light, God’s justice, the Good News makes us Christians and takes us closer to the visible unity of the Church.”

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches have published resources and liturgies for the Week of Prayer. For the first time, materials are also available in an application for mobile devices. Please visit the World Council of Churches website for more information.
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.