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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 2008

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters… Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians 5: 12a, 13b-18)

History

In 1908, the Rev. Paul Wattson, a North American Anglican priest, founded the "Octave for unity". The Faith and Order movement began publishing "Suggestions for an octave of prayer for Christian unity" in 1926. 

In 1966, the WCC Commission on Faith and Order and the Roman Catholic Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (now known as the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity-PCPCU) began official joint preparation of materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  

Joint publication of identical texts began in 2004, printing of all brochures by the WCC in 2006. Texts and additional worship material for the week of prayer now appear on the WCC website in English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. 

In 2008, we celebrate 100 years of praying together for unity!

The WCC together with the PCPCU, ecumenical partners and local churches are planning a high-profile celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Octave/ Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January 2008.

Download the worship resources and preparatory material for 2008 (pdf, 279 KB)

The resources are offered in the hope that they will be appropriately modified to suit particular local situations and that they will continue to be used throughout the year.
On the occassion of the Week of Prayer's 100th anniversary, global Christian youth organizations are encouraging all their members to take action for Christian unity. They strongly encourage all members at the local, national and continental levels to organize common actions during the week with other Christian student and youth organizations.
This letter and report are not "official statements" of the WCC, the Faith and Order Commission, or any of their member churches. It is the record of a gathering of experts coming from a wide variety of Christian traditions, churches, and regions of the world at a Faith and Order Consultation in Ditchingham, England, August 1994 .

 
Related publications

100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer

This issue of Ecumenical Review celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with a selection of articles by authors from various countries and churches.