World Day of Prayer
“I Beg You... Bear With One Another in Love” (Ephesians 4:1-7)
What Does this Day Symbolize?
By the Middle East Council of Churches
Photos’ Source: website of the “World Day of Prayer”
From different countries of the world and the Middle East, they come together with one heart and humble spirit in a unity of Prayer that gathers them in the Church from which they derive heavenly hope in Jesus Christ and in which they feel secure on the contrary of the outside community. They are women from different cultures and traditions who decided to celebrate the “World Day of Prayer” together on the first of March of every year. It is an Ecumenical day that emphasizes fraternal relations which build bridges between them, and stresses their support for each other amidst all the troubles of life.
But how did the day of Prayer begin? And what does it symbolize?
Launching of the “World Day of Prayer”
In fact, the “World Day of Prayer” began in the nineteenth century when Christian women in the United States of America and Canada started implementing many activities in order to motivate women to participate in missionary work. Following several historical milestones that women's missionary groups went through, and after the devastation that resulted from World War I, the women became convinced that world peace is related to global mission, and this is what encouraged them to strengthen their efforts for unity.
Therefore, a unified day of Prayer was created for the mission and celebrated for the first time on 20 February 1920, and it quickly spread in the United States of America. In this context, and in the second half of 1926, women from North America decided to distribute the Prayer Service booklets to many countries and mission partners. At the beginning of 1927, the call to Prayer was entitled “World Day of Prayer for Missions,” which became “World Day of Prayer” in 1928. In the same year, the “World Day of Prayer” Committee issued a statement in which it said:
"It is with deep gratitude that we recognize the growing power inherent in our World Day of Prayer. A very decided expansion of this prayer fellowship has come during the past year. The circle of prayer has expanded literally around the world. We have learned the great lesson of praying with, rather than for, our sisters of other races and nations, thus enriching our experience and releasing the power which must be ours if we are to accomplish tasks entrusted to us."
So from 1927 until today, women from different countries gather to pray together in the first of March of every year. In 1930, Helen Kim, from Korea and the first woman from outside the United States, wrote the Prayer program for the “World Day of Prayer”.
It should be noted that this day of Prayer has a logo that was developed by women from Ireland, and was officially adopted as an international logo in 1982. Noting that the logo design consists of arrows converging from the four points of the compass, as it also consists of people kneeling in a Prayer, as well as a circle that represents the world and unity through diversity.
Slogan of the Prayer Day 2024
As is the custom every year to Pray for one of the countries of the world, Prayers were raised this year for Palestine, which is suffering from the scourges of war, as the chosen slogan is, “I Beg You... Bear With One Another in Love,” based on the Letter of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians 4:1-7.
Hence, the “World Day of Prayer” committee in Palestine wrote the text of this year’s Prayer Service, which call on women to work for peace, justice, freedom of religion, as well as solidarity with women, refugees, and all those who suffer from great difficulties, diseases, and challenges. In addition, this year, the Prayer also call on us to recognize our common role in working to reduce the climate crisis, which is dramatically worsening.
In addition, this year's Prayer Service highlights the experiences of Palestinian women from three different generations through the stories of three Palestinian Christian women. Therefore, the olive tree was chosen as a symbol of the Prayer, as its trunk, branches, and leaves represent these three generations.
But how did the “World Day of Prayer” movement reach Palestine?
Day of Prayer in Palestine
Palestine began celebrating the “Day of Prayer” in the 1950s with a group of women from various sects, among whom was Mrs. Aida Haddad, the wife of His Eminence Bishop Daoud Haddad, the first Bishop of the local Lutheran Church. Mrs. Aida began participating in Prayer as a young reader in Prayer Services and later became the coordinator of the “World Day of Prayer.” In 1993, Mrs. Aida was the first Palestinian woman to be elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the World Day of Prayer.
In 1994, Palestine was chosen to write the text of the Prayer Service under the theme “Come, See and Act.” Noting that Palestine’s participation in the “World Day of Prayer” movement allowed Palestinian women to build bridges with more than 100 countries around the world, and this is what strengthened the presence of the Middle East in the “World Day of Prayer” movement. After 30 years, Palestine was called upon again to write the reference materials for the year 2024.
Based on the “World Day of Prayer” and the theme of this year, the study of the Bible calls us to join hands, communicate, and build bridges between sisters and brothers around the world, emphasizing the love that binds everyone and stressing the necessity of uniting and Praying together in order to overcome all of life’s difficulties with great faith and deep hope.
Information’ Source: website of the “World Day of Prayer”
