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The theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 18 to 25 January is: "You are witnesses to these things" (Luke 24:48). Resources from the Vatican, and details of local initiatives here.
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Pope Benedict XVI on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
20 January 2010 | Video highlights of the Holy Father's General Audience in which he discussed "positive steps" in the ecumenical process during the past year:
20 January 2010 | Extract from Vatican Information Service (VIS) report in which Pope Benedict XVI reminds us to continue to pray for the unity of all Christians ...
Theme: "You are witnesses to these things" (Luke 24:48)
 Churches around the world traditionally mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from 18 to 25 January in the octave between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul, although some local contexts choose to celebrate it around the Feast of Pentecost.
The global organisers (the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches) of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity asked Scotland to host the week in 2010 to mark the centenary of the first world mission conference that met in Edinburgh. This gathering is traditionally seen as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement, which seeks the visible unity of the world's divided churches.
Scottish churches are also involved in celebrations for the anniversary of the 1910 conference on the theme, "Witnessing to Christ today". Scotland therefore suggested as the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2010, "You are witnesses to these things" (Luke 24:48).
Download here: "You are Witnesses" pamphlet, which includes daily reflections and a choice of orders of service ...
Calendar of events:
- Monday 18 January | Annual Greenhills Ecumenical Conference, Presentation College, Greenhills, Drogheda. The speakers, Fr Leon Ó Giolláin SJ (Chaplain at UCD) and Mr Brian McKee (Down and Connor Youth Officer), will speak on the theme of ‘Young People, Church and Change’. Amongst the respondents will be Mr John Kee, Church of Ireland and Ms Gillian Best, Methodist Church. See video highlights of last year’s Conference here …
- Monday 18 January | Inaugural Service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Church of the Assumption, Booterstown, Co Dublin at 8 pm. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Church of Ireland Archbishop John Neill and many leaders of Dublin’s Reformed and Orthodox Christian denominations will attend. The address will be given by Mrs Gillian Kingston, Methodist Minister, Chaplain at UCD and member of the Irish Council of Churches.
- Tuesday 19 January | Service of Prayer for Christian Unity, Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Putland Road, Bray, Co Wicklow at 7.30pm.
- Wednesday 20 January | Annual ecumenical service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Armagh at 8pm. Cardinal Seán Brady will preside and the guest speaker is Bishop Malcolm McMahon, OP, Catholic Bishop of Nottingham, England.
- Thursday 21 January | Evensong for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Trinity College Chapel, Dublin at 5.15pm. Preacher: Prof Linda Hogan, Irish School of Ecumenics 5.15pm
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Friday 22 January | Inter-church Service in Irish with Irish music, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin at 8pm. Homilist: An tAthar Leon Ó Giollán, SJ.
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Saturday 23 January | St Teresa’s Church, Clarendon St, Holy Hour conducted by Fr Peter Sexton, SJ, University Chaplain, TCD (arranged by the Legion of Mary). Followed by Mass at 3pm. Principal celebrant and homilist: Mgr James Cassin, Executive Secretary, Episcopal Commission for Education.
Useful links and resources:
 Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (This link will take you directly to the Vatican website and its resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (extensive resources adapted for Ireland are available to download from this website)
The Irish Inter-Church Meeting
Working Group of the World Council of Churches
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