The Launch of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the East with an Ecumenical Celebration in Beirut
Their Beatitudes Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al Rahi, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan and Patriarch Youssef Al Absi:
Prayer and Love are essential for Christian Unity
Coverage | Elia Nasrallah
Translation | Mary Yahchouchy
The "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" arrived this year expressing the pain and sorrow of a Christian reality victim of globalization, extremism, and hate speech. However, the eight-day-prayer, once started, brings a dose of hope, fraternity, and light. The Week of Prayer, between January 18 and 25, unites Christians in hearts and spirits like every year, raising prayers, singing, and imploring the Lord Jesus for this unity they were deprived from throughout the years.
Orientals still cling to their hope amidst all the crises and conflicts surrounding them. Through one of the most important weeks of Christianity, internationally and historically, our wounded East decided to deliver a message from the heart to the whole world. A message of hope in a time of despair, faith amidst fleeting glories, and light amidst darkness...
The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022 carries a message entitled “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:2). From the East, the cradle of Christianity, the Christmas star led Magi on their way to witness the birth of the Savior of the world. However, does the star know that the region where it shone so bright for the first time has become one of the most damaged and needy regions? moreover, is it a coincidence the same Christmas star is today the star of the Week of Prayer during a time when Christians are experiencing more than ever a wave of divisions and scattering?
The Middle East Council of Churches wants to be the one who carries this message, thus, choosing it as the theme for this year's Week of Prayer to reflect its dimensions through the preparation of the world Prayer Booklet. Through this mission entrusted by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, the Middle East Council of Churches affirms that a bright light will shine, bringing believers drowning in despair to the shore of hope.
Beirut Launches the Week of Prayer
The celebration of the Week of Prayer this year was launched in the East with the Armenian Catholic Church in Lebanon. From the sad heart of Beirut, it aimed to emphasize on the importance of solidarity, communication, and building bridges among all Christians to reach the desired unity. An ecumenical celebration in the heart of the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of Saints Elias and Gregory in the center of Beirut, on Sunday January 16, 2022, at the invitation of His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Patriarch of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics.
Their Beatitudes Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Maronites Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, Patriarch of the Syriac Antioch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan and Greek Melkite Patriarch Youssef Al Absi attended the celebration at the church among many bishops, priests, and ecclesiastical representatives of different Church families.
Prayers were raised with great reverence and humility, inviting all participants unto a journey full of hope, as if the celebration had turned into a heavenly wedding with the Armenian angelic chants of the cathedral choir. Hymns glorifying the Creator were sung to the accompaniment of prayers and the classical music played by cathedral musicians. All of these divine elements filter out the turbulent external world.
Amidst this heavenly Ecumenical joy, we wonder what the importance of praying for this unity is. How will Christian unity be achieved? Questions we had to ask at the end of the celebration to their Beatitudes Patriarch Minassian, Patriarch Al Rahi, and Patriarch Younan. They all emphasized to the Middle East Council of Churches website the importance of persevering in prayer every day of the year, in love and patience, because unity will be achieved one day, even if it takes more time than expected.
His Beatitude Patriarch Minassian: Prayer, an Invincible Weapon
His Beatitude Patriarch Minassian saw that “holding on to individual and collective selfishness keeps us away from the right path. We cannot reach the unity of churches without prayer, the only invincible weapon. We should have the will to approach this unity among all churches and denominations.”
His Beatitude stressed in his speech during the celebration: “Today we must be realistic. We must let go of the noises in our hearts, take the light of the Bethlehem cradle, where the Savior was born, and spread the light of salvation, preaching the shepherds, the Magi, and even to us, those baptized and rooted in our belief in Christ the Savior, born every day, and in every church, through the Eucharist... I support heritage, as each church has its own heritage, but together, we compose a beautiful harmonious symphony that glorifies the Creator.”
His Beatitude Cardinal Al Rahi: Unity, One of Christ’s Wounds
His Beatitude Cardinal Al Rahi dove into the meaning behind the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", expressing his joy for the launch of the week from the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of Saints Elias and Gregory.
H.B said: “We continue to pray throughout the week because the Lord Jesus prayed before us for Christian unity and entrusted us with it. Christian unity is not a seasonal subject as we celebrate the Week of Prayer annually, nor is it an academic subject that accompanies us during lectures. Christian unity is a great wound in the sacred body of Christ.”
H.B added: “Therefore, all of us, as Christians, are asked to look beyond ourselves in a spirit of humility, to find our differences and address with responsibility. This requires giving up on our interests, pride, selfishness and calculations to be able to truly glorify our Lord with the unity of the body that is the Church.”
His Beatitude described the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" as a conscientious event in our lives. “Unity is achieved by the Holy Spirit once we have the will. Therefore, I ask everyone to join in our prayer and the prayer of Christians around the world.”
His Beatitude Patriarch Younan: Christian Love, the Basis of Unity
His Beatitude Patriarch Younan called for a commitment to love for the sake of unity. H.B said: “Indeed, we are united today, but first we must live in Christian love, which constitutes the basis of unity. The wanted unity can only be the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Throughout history, we have been divided into multiple churches, but none of them is different from the others. We express the same faith in our traditions, rituals, cultures, and languages. We must always make of love our goal and try to revive it among believers. Do not be afraid, we are one, and we are all on the path of the Lord, with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
From Beirut to the world, Heads of churches called for prayer and work towards the unity our Lord Jesus Christ desired. However, achieving unity has become for some Christians a far-fetched goal, despite ongoing initiatives. Why, then, do we come across opinions today that may shake endeavors for Christian unity and obstruct the path towards it?
Perhaps the answer lies in the Ecumenical formation we lack today. The role of religious, cultural, and media platforms… remains a basis for strengthening the Ecumenical spirit and highlighting its concepts. Unity does not mean the fusion of one Church with the other, but rather getting to know the richness and diversity of others, because the richness of Christians remains in their diversity.
Communication and Public Relations Department