WCC NEWS: Prayers for unity shine through a darkened world

Prayers for unity shone across the world in countless ways, bringing hope to countless people facing many grave and complex challenges. During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, churches, individuals, and communities demonstrated deep faith, creativity, and persistence in their mutual quest for light.  During the prayer for unity in Tangier Cathedral in Morocco, lights were lit from the Paschal candle and shared among participants. Photo: Joanna Udal/Anglican Chaplaincy in Norway 28 January 2026 Sunrise to sunset “From sunrise in the East to sunset in the West, blessed are you O Lord.”  In Morocco, known in Arabic as the land of the setting sun, the Archbishop of Tangier, Fr Emilio Rocha Grande ofm, hosted prayers for Christian unity in Tangier Cathedral in Morocco with Pastor Jean-Marie Kasongo and Canon Joanna Udal participating on behalf of the Evangelical Church of Tangier and the Anglican Church, respectively.   Following the liturgy prepared by the Armenian Church, lights were lit from the Paschal candle and shared among all those present and prayers offered: “Make the light of your justice and wisdom shine brightly over all your creation. Make us children of light and children of the day and to bear your life-giving light across the whole earth.” A large house A joint prayer for Christian unity was held in Kryvyi Rih, city in a central Ukraine, facing the continuous Russian missile attacks and shelling since 2022. Participants together turned to God with a prayer for the unity of the church, peace for Ukraine, and the spiritual stability of society. His Eminence Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, began the prayer: “God entrusts each of us with this responsibility — first of all, to follow Christ, and on the other hand, to create this community that is gathered around Christ. Every joint prayer is a moment of such family unity and family closeness.” He continued: “When I think about the city of Kryvyi Rih today, I realize that it is actually a large house that needs a lot of spiritual care.” A joint prayer for Christian unity held in Kryvyi Rih, city in a central Ukraine, facing the continuous Russian missile attacks and shelling since 2022. Photo: 0564.ua Bringing hope, confidence and love In Linz, Austria, those gathered brought an ecumenical plea for a common mission of the churches. Organized by the Forum of Christian Churches in Upper Austria, representatives from 11 Christian churches participated in a service on 23 January. "The church is a place where grief, fear, and despair have a place, but where joy, hope, and confidence are also palpable. People in need receive straightforward help in the congregations," said Pastor Gernot Mischitz of the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Leonding in his sermon.  The mission of the Christian churches, he said, is to carry their light and radiance out into society, into the world, because: "Then we bring hope, confidence, and love to all people.” A gift—and a responsibility  In Lebanon, at the Cathedral of St Raphael the Archangel, a closing prayer of the joint celebrations was held on 25 January. Bishop Michael Kassarji delivered a sermon in which he spoke about the importance of living in unity as a prophetic sign that Christ is more powerful than death, violence, and weapons Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi gave a reflection in which the call for unity was described aa an inescapable responsibility. Before the end of the prayer, Prof. Dr Michel Abs, secretary general of the Middle East Council of Churches, expressed his happiness about participating in the prayer, which was itself a sign of unity. Closing prayer of the week of joint celebrations held at the Cathedral of St Raphael the Archangel in Lebanon, 25 January 2026. Photo: Syriac Catholic Patriarchate Ecumenical prayers  In the US, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will host an Ecumenical Prayer Service on 29 January at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York.  The service will bring Christian leaders and faithful from the New York Metropolitan area together to celebrate the hope found in our unity in Christ while honoring the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In Canada, daily prayers for Christian Unity in Saskatoon in a variety of churches with special guests preachers—and special breakfasts—were organized by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism. Grounded in God’s action The Association of Interchurch Families, headquartered in the UK, published a reflection stating that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resonates deeply with the ongoing experience of families who belong, worship, and participate across Christian traditions.  “Too often, Christian unity is framed as a future achievement, dependent on agreement, negotiation, or institutional convergence,” reads the reflection. “The 2026 theme gently but firmly reframes the conversation. Unity precedes our efforts. It is grounded in God’s action, not ours.” Rediscovering community  The Christian Council of Norway translated of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resources, and offered daily video reflections, as well as a Spotify playlist with hymns, praise songs, and meditation music for the week. “The theme reminds us of something fundamental in Christian faith and identity,” the council reflected. “Unity in Christ is more than an ideal we strive for – it is a calling we already live in. One body. One Spirit. One hope. In the midst of ecclesial diversity, and in a world marked by division and unrest, the Week of Prayer invites us to stop, pray together, and rediscover the community that has been given to us.” Clergy gathered at the ecumenical service Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the Baptist church in Linz, Austria. Photo: Diocese of Linz/Johannes Kienberger Unity as an instrument of peace Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, called for prayers for peace in our war-torn world, following the signing of the updated Charta Oecumenica that took place in Rome on 5 November 2025. He stressed that churches "are called to renew a strong common appeal to pray for peace, especially amid ongoing threats against peace, shaped by persistent armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions in many regions of the world," especially ahead of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the original Charta Oecumenica in Strasbourg. The archbishop prayed "that this unity may be achieved not only among Christians but also among all parties in conflict with one another, and that peace may be rebuilt." “Let’s make it visible”  On the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, which marks the close of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Leo XIV invited Christians to continue on their shared mission of spreading the Gospel to all. Pope Leo XIV recalled the ecumenical prayer service he celebrated along with various other Christian leaders in Iznik, Türkiye, in November 2025, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. “Reciting the Nicene Creed together in the very place where it was formulated was a profound and unforgettable testimony to our unity in Christ,” he said. “May the Holy Spirit find in us docile minds even today, so that we may proclaim the faith with one voice to the men and women of our time!” Multitudes pray for unity around the world (WCC news release, 22 January 2026) Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 invites Christians to one hope, one calling (WCC news release, 14 January 2026) Learn more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 Reading plan on the Youversion Bible app See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland