2023 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Rome
As in other years, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Rome will be celebrated from 18-25 January.
The Holy Father Francis will preside over the Second Vespers of the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle at the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Tuesday 25 January at 5.30 pm in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls with the participation of representatives of the other Christian communities in Rome and Italy. The celebration will be broadcast live on the Vatican News website.
Other ecumenical initiatives are listed below:
Sunday 15 January
7.00 p.m.
Evangelical Lutheran "Christuskirche" (Via Sicilia, 70) - Vespers with the Pontifical Teutonic Institute Santa Maria dell'Anima and the Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum. Sermon by Pater Gernot Wisser, SJ, Rector Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum. Choir and orchestra: Cantata "Das neugeborne Kindelein" by Dietrich Buxtehude.
Tuesday 17 January
5.30 p.m.
Centro Pro Unione (Via Santa Maria dell’Anima, 30) – Ecumenical prayer Vigil
Wednesday 18 January
5.30 p.m.
Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura - Vespers with the Orthodox Romenian Diocese in Italy presided over by H.E. Atanasie of Bogdania
Thursday 19 January
4.00 p.m.
Basilica Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Piazza della Minerva, 42) - Celebration presided over by Fr. Marco Pasinato, Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki, with the participation of Rev. Kaisasmari Hintikka, Bishop of the Evangelical-Lutheran Diocese of Espoo, and Rev. Sergei, Bishop of the Orthodox Diocese of Hamina. Songs performed by the CandoMini ensemble from Espoo. Celebration organised by the Finnish Churches in cooperation with the Embassy of Finland to the Holy See.
4:30 p.m.
Centro Pro Unione (Via Santa Maria dell'Anima, 30) - Conference "Baptism: Ecclesiological Implications of the latest Lutheran-Roman Catholic Joint Commission" held by Prof. Dirk G. Lange, Secretary General for Ecumenical Relations of the Lutheran World Federation, followed by an Ecumenical Celebration organised by the Centro Pro Unione and the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas.
6.00 p.m.
Parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Trionfale (Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie, 5) - Diocesan Ecumenical Vigil presided over by Bishop Riccardo Lamba, Auxiliary Bishop of Rome, delegate for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. Homily offered by Pastor Daniele Garrone. Songs performed by the Ukrainian Children's Choir Liberton (St. Sophia Basilica), the choir of the Methodist and Waldensian Churches and the Choir of the Parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Trionfale.
6.00 p.m.
Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura - Vespers with the Anglican Community of Rome presided over by Revd Robert Warren
Friday 20 January
5.30 p.m.
Santa Brigida (Piazza Farnese) - Ecumenical Vespers presided over by Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, with the participation of Evangelical Lutheran Bishop of Espoo, Revd Dr Kaisamari Hintikka, H.E. Sergei, Bishop of Hamina, Orthodox Church of Finland, and Revd Marco Pasinato, Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki.
5.30-7.00 p.m.
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas - Institute of Ecumenical Studies (Largo Angelicum, 1 - Aula 11) - Lecture of Brother Alois, Prior of the Community of Taizé : "The practice of unity at Taizé – Seeking to live as brothers for one another & Anticipating the reconciliation of Christians".
Saturday 21 January
5.00 p.m.
Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura - Verspers with the Waldesian Community of Rome presided over by Pastor Winfrid Pfannkuche
6.30 p.m.
Pontifical Bede College (Viale di San Paolo, 18) - Ecumenical Celebration (Preacher: Fr. Martin Browne OSB)
Sunday 22 January
10.30 a.m.
Ponte Sant' Angelo Methodist Church (Piazza di Ponte S. Angelo, 68) - Sunday Worship (Preacher: Fr. Martin Browne OSB)
5.00 p.m.
St. Andrew of Scotland Church (Via delle Quattro Fontane, 171) - Ecumenical Celebration of the Churches Together in Rome (Preacher: Very Rev. Colin Sinclair)
Monday 23 January
6.00 p.m.
Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura - Vespers with the Lutheran Community of Frome presided over by Revd Pastor Michael Jonas
Tuesday 24 January
12.45 p.m.
Anglican Centre of Rome (Piazza del Collegio Romano, 2) - Anglican Eucharistic Celebration (Preacher: H.E. Cardinal Arthur Roche)
7.30 p.m.
Pontifical Irish College (Via dei Santi Quattro, 1) - Ecumenical Celebration (Preacher: Rev. Canon Daniel Nuzum)
Wednesday 25 January
5.30 p.m.
Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls - Second Vespers of the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle celebrated at the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and presided over by His Holiness Pope
Friday 26 January to Saturday 28 January
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) (Largo Angelicum, 2) - International Symposium “Listening to the West” upon the initiative of the Institute for Ecumenical Studies of the Angelicum
Photo: Pope Francis together with Metropolitan Polykarpos, representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Archbishop Ian Ernest, personal representative in Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury, pray at Saint Paul's grave , 25 January 2022 © Servizio Fotografico | Vatican Media