The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 18-25, 2025
Christians are invited to pray for unity among us during this annual observance. The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity covers the days between the feasts of The Confession of St Peter and the Conversion of St Paul and therefore have a symbolic significance. In the southern hemisphere where January is a vacation time churches often find other days to celebrate the Week of Prayer, for example around Pentecost (suggested by the Faith and Order movement in 1926), which is also a symbolic date for the unity of the Church.
The theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 is based on a text from the Gospel of John: "Do you believe this?" (John 11:26). The prayers and reflections have been prepared by the brothers and sisters of the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. As usual, an international team appointed jointly by the DPCU and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches worked with the authors to finalize the materials.
The year 2025 will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians as expressed in the Creed formulated at that Council. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 is an invitation to draw on this common heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites Christians.
Churches and Christian communities worldwide are invited to use a variety of resources prepared in seven languages, including a child-friendly version and the reading plan on the YouVersion’s Bible App.
The Bible App is completely free, with no advertising and no in-app purchases.
The Biblical Text for the Week of Prayer
The guiding biblical text was chosen with the Nicene Creed in mind - John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus, as narrated by the evangelist John.
At the start of the chapter, the Gospel says that Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus (v.5), yet when informed that Lazarus was gravely ill, Jesus declared that his illness would “not lead to death” but that the Son of God would be “glorified through it” (v.4) and remained where he was for two days longer. When Jesus eventually arrived in Bethany, despite being warned of the risk of being stoned there (v. 8), Lazarus “had already been in the tomb for four days” (v. 17). Martha’s words to Jesus express her disappointment at his late arrival, perhaps containing also a note of reproach: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 21). However, this exclamation is followed immediately by a profession of confidence in Jesus’ saving power: “But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him” (v. 22). When Jesus assures her that her brother would rise again (v. 23), she responds by affirming her
religious belief: “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (v. 24). Jesus leads her a step further, declaring his power over life and death and revealing his identity as the Messiah. “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (vv. 25-26). Following this astonishing declaration, Jesus challenges Martha with a very direct and deeply personal question: “Do you believe this?” (v. 26.)
Like Martha, the first generations of Christians could not remain indifferent or passive when the words of Jesus touched and searched their hearts. They earnestly sought to give a comprehensible answer to Jesus’ question, “Do you believe this?” The Fathers of Nicaea strove to find words that would embrace the entire mystery of the incarnation and the passion, death and resurrection of their Lord. While awaiting his return, Christians around the world are called to witness together to this faith in the resurrection, which is for them the source of hope and joy, to be shared with all peoples.