From 1 September to 4 October, Christians around the world are praying and caring for creation. It’s the “Season of Creation”. The beginning and the end date of Season of Creation are linked with the concern for creation in the Eastern and the Western traditions of Christianity, respectively.

September 1st was proclaimed as a day of prayer for the environment by the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I in 1989.

The Orthodox church year starts that day with a commemoration of how God created the world. On 4 October, Roman Catholics and other churches from the Western traditions commemorate Francis of Assisi, known to many as the author of the Canticle of the Creatures.

Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew released their special messages for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2016, starting the month-long Season of Creation celebrations. Their special messages are available here.

The Season of Creation is facilitated by the World Council of Churches, the Global Catholic Climate Movement, ACT Alliance, the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network.

Each year, the ecumenical steering committee that provides resources to celebrate the Season of Creation suggests a theme. The suggested theme for this year is “The web of life: Biodiversity as God’s blessing.”

Celebration guide: Season of Creation 2019

Visit the Season of Creation website for more ideas and resources