Representatives of the two largest Christian bodies in the world will come together Friday evening in Rome to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and close the worldwide event.
General secretary Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia of the World Council of Churches – which represents some 560 million Protestant Christians – will meet with Pope Benedict XVI – head of the more than 1-billion-member Roman Catholic Church – for a private meeting and later for an ecumenical Vespers service at the Roman basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the ecumenical service where Kobia will bring greetings on behalf of the fellowship of 347 churches constituting the WCC. The service concludes the traditional Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, celebrated Jan. 18-25 in the northern hemisphere. In the global south, churches favor the days around Pentecost to observe the Christian unity week.
The Roman Catholic Church has been part of the ecumenical event from nearly its inception.
In 1909, the Roman Catholic Pope at the time, Pius X, was approached about joining the event and ended up giving his official blessing to the effort. In 1916, Pope Benedict XV encouraged its observance throughout the Roman Catholic Church.
Next year makes the passing of 100 years since that first meeting. Isn't it time that we finish the bridge?
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3 comments:
Its about time, thats what Christian Unity is all about instead of us focusing on our differences all of the time.
THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES HAS LONG BEEN AS ANTICHRIST AS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS.
LIVING HOPE IN JESUS
www.livinghopeinjesus.com
Hah. You are so funny. I know you are kidding because Jesus would not consider his one true church as antichrist.
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