International and Ecumenical Day of Prayer for Peace in the Middle East

The Holy See recently announced that there will be an international and ecumenical day of prayer on October 31, 2016, for peace in the Middle East and especially for all the people of Syria.

The International and Ecumenical Day of Prayer for Peace in the Middle East, especially for the people of Syria, is being organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Caritas Internationalis, and the Lutheran World Federation. This is on the occasion of the Pope's Apostolic Voyage to Sweden to mark the ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The theme is on shifting relations from conflict to communion, with a focus especially on involving young people.

Pope Francis, alongside Bishop Munib Younan, President of the Lutheran World Federation, and the Rev. Martin Junge, the Federation's General Secretary, will lead a common prayer service based on the recently published Catholic – Lutheran "Common Prayer" liturgical guide. The guide is based on From Conflict to Communion, a joint document that highlights the ecumenical developments between the two Churches. Caritas Canada is promoting the international day of prayer for peace. More information on the International Ecumenical Day of Prayer is available from CCODP as well as from Caritas Internationalis.