Week of Prayer for Christian Unity to celebrate 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea

Published on 14 January 2025 2 minutes read

From Saturday18 January, churches around the world will mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity over a period of eight days between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul.

The annual event, which first began in 1908, is designed to strengthen the ecumenical ties between denominations and encourage a sense of mutual support.

A Dove And A Cross

This year marks the 1,700th anniversary since the Council of Nicaea took place in modern-day Turkey laying out the foundations of what Christians believe today, especially the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son as confessed in the creed.

The theme chosen by Churches Together Britain and Ireland (CTBI) of ‘Do you believe this?' therefore has the Nicene Creed at its heart and the scripture readings for this year focus on belief.

Christians are invited to reflect on the story of Martha's confession of faith in Jesus as narrated in John 11:17-27. Each is called to sit with Jesus' question to Martha: "Do you believe this?"

Every year CTBI invites a different Christian group to write the worship, and for 2025 it has been created by the ecumenical community at Bose in Northern Italy

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, said:

"This year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity gets to the heart of what it means to be a Christian regardless of your denomination.

"In an increasingly fragmented world I invite you to use the worship material provided by Churches Together Britain and Ireland and to think about what unites us in solidarity through our faith."

Rev John McPake, ecumenical officer of the Church of Scotland, said:

"2025 marks the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, and the understanding of the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son agreed at the Council may be said to have been foundational in shaping Christian belief for succeeding generations.

"In the providence of God, this year will see all Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ on the same Sunday, and unite the Church in the East and in the West in the marking of Easter.

"The prayer of the Council of Nicaea was that all Christians would be united in the marking of this day."

Resources

Resources including posters and pamphlets can be found on CTBI website.

Social media

Show your support for Christian Unity by posting unity messages and details of your events to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Twitter wall – simply add the #wpcuwall hashtag to your Twitter post (note there is a delay before they appear). You can also find updates about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Twitter by following the #wpcu2025 hashtag.

See also