Once again, Assisi is the place where prayers will be offered on Saturday, September 1, on the fourth World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation initiated by Pope Francis. In the General Audience on Wednesday His Holiness Pope Francis mentioned the event which, he said, “we celebrate in union with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, and with the participation of other Churches and Christian communities”. For the first time, this prayer event is ecumenical in nature, and kicks off the Season of Creation which lasts until 4 October.
As reported by Vatican news, This year, for the first time, the prayer service for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in Assisi is ecumenical and coincides with the start of the Season of Creation. “I am grateful,” His Holiness Pope Francis said in the General Audience, “for the various initiatives organized in different places by Churches, Institutes of consecrated life, and ecclesial organizations”. The Pope’s invitation is open to “everyone to unite in prayer, on Saturday, for our common home, for the care of our common home”.
Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios proclaimed September 1 as Creation Day for the Orthodox in 1989, followed by other Christian European Churches in 2001, and by His Holiness Pope Francis in 2015.
