Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
One hundred ten years ago tomorrow (18 January 1908) the first Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was observed. Founded as the Church Unity Octave by Rev. Paul Wattson, the week was dedicated to prayer for the unity of a divided Christianity. Eight years later in 1916 Pope Benedict XV extended the observance of the Week of Prayer to the entire Catholic Church. With the Second Vatican Council the Catholic Church committed itself fully to the ecumenical movement, the work of restoring unity between Christians.
Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul. In the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches often find other days to celebrate it, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for unity.
http://www.geii.org/week_of_prayer_for_christian_unity/theme_announcement_2018.html
Cardinal Koch visits Geneva for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/cardinal-koch-visits-geneva-for-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity
Armenians in Jerusalem celebrate Christmas
http://www.armradio.am/en/2018/01/18/armenians-in-jerusalem-celebrate-christmas/
In Cairo, Muslims and Christians meet for Jerusalem, ‘the cause of the causes’
http://www.asianews.it/notizie-it/Al-Cairo,-musulmani-e-cristiani-si-incontrano-per-Gerusalemme,-%E2%80%98la-causa-delle-cause%E2%80%99–42867.html
Pax Christi: “Today wars are called humanitarian missions”
https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2018/01/niger-pax-christi-oggi-guerre-si.html
Amid attacks on churches, Francis tells Chilean indigenous to shun violence
https://www.ncronline.org/news/world/amid-attacks-churches-francis-tells-chilean-indigenous-shun-violence
Proud to be Catholic? A groundbreaking America survey asks women about their lives in the church
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/01/16/proud-be-catholic-groundbreaking-america-survey-asks-women-about-their-lives
Trump cuts the funds to the Palestinians. Criticism from the PLO
https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2018/01/stati-uniti-trump-taglia-i-fondi-ai.html
WCC says future of Jerusalem must be a shared one
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/wcc-says-future-of-jerusalem-must-be-a-shared-one
Pope Francis: message to al-Azhar’s Jerusalem conference, “urgent resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians for a negotiated solution”
https://www.agensir.it/quotidiano/2018/1/17/papa-francesco-messaggio-alla-conferenza-su-gerusalemme-di-al-azhar-urgente-ripresa-dialogo-tra-israeliani-e-palestinesi-per-una-soluzione-negoziata/
CONTINUED ATTACKS ON CHURCHES OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
https://mospat.ru/en/2018/01/16/news155569/
Orthodox Christians to battle hunger on IOCC’s “Souper Bowl of Caring” Sunday
https://oca.org/news/headline-news/orthodox-christians-to-battle-hunger-on-ioccs-souper-bowl-of-caring-sunday