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A Week of Ecumenism in Jerusalem. The first church was built in Jerusalem, one that was invested with the fire that came down upon the apostles 40 days after the resurrection. And as 2000 years ago, …More
A Week of Ecumenism in Jerusalem.

The first church was built in Jerusalem, one that was invested with the fire that came down upon the apostles 40 days after the resurrection. And as 2000 years ago, Jerusalem returns to pray - for seven days - for the unity of all Christians. By doing so, it revives many of the joys and pains of the early Church: injustice and division, but also perseverance and true recognition of a greater unity among Christians. The week of prayer begins later here than internationally to allow the Armenian Orthodox Christians in Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas according to their calendar, on January 19. From 22nd to 30th January Christians of the Holy City are to gather every evening in a different church (Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant) for an ecumenical prayer, asking God for the gift of unity. This year the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Jerusalem will take place at a special time: on January 29th at 5pm the Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Jerusalem will be hosting the Fifth Extraordinary Prayer of All Churches for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace.

The initiative, held in partnership with Catholica Unio (a Vatican body which promotes dialogue between the Eastern Churches and Churches of the West), is increasingly establishing itself as a time of prayer, from and for Jerusalem. Some time ago, the Mother Church called on all Christians in the world to join in a prayer of insistent joyful intercession every Saturday at 6pm local time in each country. On Saturday January 29 it will take place in the church of the Ethiopians. The prayer, which will be led by Matthias Abba, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, will be transmitted by various Christian television networks throughout the Holy Land on the same day and on other dates. A documentary on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church will then follow. We'd like to remind you that television broadcasting is now freely available to every Christian television channel that wishes to transmit it.

These important ecumenical prayer moments also coincide with the "International Day of Prayer for Peace in the Holy Land," sponsored by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Holy See and encouraged by Benedict XVI. The day will involve prayers for peace in over 2,000 cities and prayer groups throughout the world over a 24 hour period. It will begin in Jerusalem on the evening of 29th January in the Ethiopian church.