VATICAN CITY (ITALPRESS) – “Today begins the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The origins of this initiative date back to two centuries ago and Pope Leo XIII encouraged it very much, just 100 years ago for the first time suggestions for the eighth prayer of Christians were published, the theme of this year is taken from the Letter to the Ephesians: “One body and one spirit as one is the hope that you have been called.” So Pope Leo after the Angelus.
“Prayers and reflections were prepared by an ecumenical group coordinated by the Department for Interreligious Relations of the Armenian Apostolic Church, so I invite all Catholic communities to strengthen prayer for the full visible unity of all Christians, our commitment to unity must be accompanied consistently with that for peace and justice.” The Pontiff recalled “in particular the great difficulties that the people of the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo forced to flee from their country especially towards Burundi because of violence and that must face a serious humanitarian crisis. Let us pray that dialogue for reconciliation and peace always prevails among the conflicting parties.” And finally he asked for prayers and solidarity for the populations affected by floods in South Africa.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
