Ecumenical Prayer Vigil in Rome for the Synod on Synodality
Friday, September 29 2023September 29, 2023, Ottawa – On September 30, 2023, an ecumenical prayer vigil will be held at the Vatican, in the presence of Pope Francis as well as representatives of various other Churches, to foster unity through prayer, silence, listening to the Word. Young people aged 18 to 35 from different European countries, and from all ecclesial backgrounds, are being invited to attend the whole weekend, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, to journey together as God’s people.
On January 15, 2023, at the end of the Angelus, Pope Francis announced that the work of the next Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops would be preceded by an ecumenical prayer vigil on Saturday, September 30, in St. Peter’s Square: “The path of Christian unity and the path of the Church’s synodal conversion are linked,” the Holy Father said. “For the young people who will be attending the vigil, there will be a special program throughout the weekend, led by the Taizé Community. From now on, I invite brothers and sisters of all Christian denominations to take part in this ‘gathering of God’s people.”
CCCB President, Bishop William McGrattan, who will be present at this event, remarked: “This prayer vigil is an opportunity through the synodal process to manifest our desire for unity among Christians who desire to walk together. Without prayer and recognizing the primacy of God’s grace at work in our lives there can be no authentic experience of the Synod on synodality. This ecumenical vigil of prayer will be reminding us of our commitment to build a synodal Church and together to entrust the work of the Synod to the Holy Spirit.”
Further information is available on the event website (together2023.net/), including other ways of participating for those who are unable to travel to Rome.
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Maribel Mayorga
Director of Communications
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)
Email: communications@cccb.ca
Telephone: 613-241-9461, ext. 225