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On 22 January, local churches in Geneva celebrated together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with a service at the Ecumenical Centre.
Marking the sixth day of the Week of Prayer, those gathered reflected on the this year’s theme, “They showed us unusual kindness,” remembering the importance of overcoming differences and division in order to share together in unity.
“We are delighted to embrace the celebration and the materials prepared by our brothers and sisters in Malta for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,” said Father Marc Passera. “God and the Holy Spirit bring us together in unity through events like this one, regardless of our origin faith or language. That is the beauty of this gathering in Geneva, being able to pray together in a multicultural and multilingual environment; it gives a different perspective of one another.”
In his sermon, Orthodox theologian Stefan Constantinescu also highlighted the importance of Christian unity: “Now more than ever, we must unite, also as a church, in order to promote the dignity of human beings and the protection of the environment.”
Constantinescu used an example from nature to evoke how unity equals strength, explaining how those forests with the most varieties of ages and species of trees are much more resistant to storms and parasites and how much stronger they become by forming a tight-knit community. “Let us be inspired by the laws of nature and the reasons of creation, which we absolutely must protect. Let us weave a stronger network of communication from our roots to draw together from the source of life, our Lord,” he concluded.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Rassemblement des Eglises et Communautés Chrétiennes de Genève
