Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

An Annual Historical Week Between 18 and 25 January, What is its Significance?

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated annually during eight days of daily Prayers worldwide. It is an historic annual ritual which extends between 18 and 25 January in the global Christian calendar.

The week of Prayer carries with it profound Christian and Theological meanings through which Christians move on their annual Ecumenical journey. Setting a date for the week itself has a special significance, turning it into a Christian tradition that started in 1908. January 18 reminds us of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle with which come the Prayers to build bridges and strengthen fraternity among all Christians. January 25, however, refers to the Feast of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, the end of the week of unity, thus a call to continue praying for unity throughout the year.

Chair of St. Peter the Apostle

“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). With these words, the Lord Jesus addressed Peter, entrusting him with the message of the good news, to be the Head of the Apostles and the sign for their unity. Despite all his mistakes, Christ entrusted him with a noble mission, translated into serving the unity of the Church and the consolidation of fraternity in faith.

Peter, "the Chief of the Apostles", was a simple fisherman. He denied Christ three times, but he regretted it and repented. After the Apostles dispersed to preach throughout the world, Peter remained in Jerusalem and Judea to continue his preaching, despite what he faced of fatigue and torment there.

In the year 35 or 36, Peter moved to Antioch where he established his Chair and continued his Evangelization as the Head of the Church until the year 42. In the year 43, he went to Rome and moved with him his See, inspired by God. He entrusted St. Odeus to be his successor over the Church of Antioch.

Peter was imprisoned twice defending the word of Truth. After the Angel of the Lord saved him the first time, Nero sentenced him the second time to be crucified. He asked to crucify his head down. He was martyred in 67 AD in Rome and his body was placed in the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican City.

The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle

As for St. Paul the Apostle, his conversion Feast is celebrated as a sign of Christians' recognition of the greatness of the divine grace that overflows where sin abounds. Paul was a Jewish Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin, who persecuted the Church of God and fought against the name of Jesus.

His greatness was known through the story of his wondrous retreat on the road to Damascus, where he saw a vision that led to his loss of sight.

A great light shone on him from heaven, and Jesus Christ appeared to him, speaking to him, so that Paul realized that Christ had risen from the dead, contrary to what he thought.

Since that time, Paul believed in Christ and regained his sight after being baptized by Ananias, to become a herald of the word of truth and a godfather to consolidate the Christian faith in all parts of the earth.

So the Apostles Peter and Paul are an example of the path of complete unity that Christians seek today. From here, it is necessary to recall what the Apostle Paul recommended: “I ask you to walk with all humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, striving to preserve the unity of spirit in the bond of peace.”