Christians in the Western Indian state of Rajasthan on January 18 held a prayer meeting to mark the ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.’
The Christian Unity Octave Week started with a prayer meeting at Sacred Heart Church, Jaipur, Rajasthan, western India.
It was held in a limited number following the guidelines prescribed by governments on Covid-19.
Among the 50 who participated were Catholic Bishop Oswald Lewis of Jaipur, seven priests, 15 pastors, 15 nuns, and some Christians.
Divine Word Father John Paul, the secretary for the Commission for Ecumenism of Jaipur diocese welcomed the participants and briefed them about the meaning and the purpose of the Christian Unity prayer.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international Christian ecumenical observance that takes place annually from Jan. 18 to 25.
This year the prayer is prepared by the Middle East Council of Church, in Beirut. The Church of Lebanon is going through tough times. Though Christianity started there by the apostles in the Middle East, a great contribution is made by the Maronite Church which was started by St. Maron in the 4th century.
Recently, there has been an increase in the attacks on Christians and thus many are fleeing the country due to fear. Seeing this pathetic condition, the Syriac Catholic Patriarch, Ignatius Joseph says, "If the fear of the present condition remains the same, Christianity will be extinct.”
He urged the whole world to pray for Christians.
After the introduction, the prayer started with the Hindi hymn “Aye hain tere dvar pe...” (We have come at your door) by nuns of Angela-Sophia Convent.
Father Edward Oliveira, the vicar general of the Jaipur diocese made an inspiring opening prayer for the unity of everyone. Thereafter, Bishop Oswald followed the prayer prepared by the Council, starting with praise and worship and penitential rite.
In his homily, the prelate spoke about the unity of all Christians as willed by God and invited by Jesus, "That all may be one."
There were three intercessory prayers made by pastors: Shibu John, Vijay Paul, and Amit, praying for all the religious and political leaders, for the nation and the people suffering from Covid-19 pandemic and other ailments.
The prayer ended with a final blessing from the Bishop and with the song, 'We are one in the Spirit...' with a new hope that all may be one in God.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was also celebrated in many parts of India.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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