National

The latest announcement from the Canadian bishops invites all Christians to unite in prayer during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18–25, 2025. This year’s theme, “Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:26), marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Learn more about the resources and opportunities available in the full CCCB announcement below.

All are welcome to celebrate Christian Unity here in Montreal on Jan. 19 at Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral for an ecumenical prayer service presided by Archbishop Christian Lépine and Bishop Ioan Casian. More details on the local celebration can be found here: Prayer Service 

-

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 

Thursday, January 16 2025 

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) is a well established global ecumenical observance, which in the northern hemisphere is held annually from January 18 to 25, between the liturgical feasts of the Confession of Saint Peter and the Conversion of Saint Paul. During this period, Christians of all denominations and ecclesial communities are invited to pray for the unity of all of the baptized; to meditate together on Sacred Scripture; to participate in jointly-organized worship services; and to undertake together acts of charity and fellowship. 

The prayers and reflections for this year’s WPCU highlight the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), the first Ecumenical Council, and take as their theme the question “Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:26). These resources were prepared by the brothers and sisters of the Bose monastic ecumenical community, in northern Italy, and are jointly published by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches. 

Each year, in order to help Christians in Canada mark the WPCU, the Canadian Council of Churches, of which the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is a member, commissions a Writing and Animation Team to develop an adapted version of the resources published by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches, taking into account the Canadian context. These Canadian resources are found on a dedicated website, which is updated annually: 

English: https://www.weekofprayer.ca/ 

French: https://www.semainedepriere.ca/ 

All are invited to pray for Christian unity during the WPCU and, in a particular way this year, to deepen their knowledge of, and prayerful reflection on the Nicene Creed. Clergy and lay pastoral associates are invited to encourage the faithful to learn more about the WPCU, and to participate in and/or host an appropriate event(s) for WPCU 2025. Bishops of the Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches may also plan special ecumenical events and extend a particular welcome to fellow Christians in their Cathedrals. To learn more about how to get involved locally, consult your respective diocese, eparchy, or parish for details. 



Source: Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) 

Here in Montreal

Join us for a profound evening of prayer and reflection during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 AD). This historic milestone invites Christians from all traditions to celebrate their shared faith as expressed in the Nicene Creed.

Event Details:

  • Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
    1085 De la Cathédrale Street, Montreal, QC, H3B 2V3
    January 19, 2025, at 3:00 PM

This year’s prayers and reflections have been lovingly prepared by the monastic community of Bose in Italy, bringing together Anglicans, Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants of Montreal. Let us unite in Christ to pray for the unity of our Churches.

Presiding:

  • Most Reverend Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montreal
     
  • Most Reverend Ioan Casian, Bishop of the Romanian Diocese of Canada
     
  • In collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism

For more information, contact Dr. Adriana Bara: abara@oikoumene.ca

All are welcome to this celebration of faith and unity!