From 18th to 25th January, Christians around the world are invited to pray for the unity sought by Christ: ‘That they may all be one’ (Jn 17:21). The theme chosen for 2026 is taken from the Letter to the Ephesians (4:4): ‘There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.’
Lourdes, a place of welcome for all
Since the Apparitions of 1858, Lourdes has become a sanctuary that draws believers of all origins, cultures and Christian denominations. Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Evangelicals, and even people on a spiritual journey or without any specific religious affiliation come together here, united by the same quest: meaning, consolation and inner peace.
In Lourdes, unity cannot be imposed: it must be lived. It manifests itself in the silence of prayer, in serving the sick, in listening to others with compassion, and in respecting each person’s spiritual journey.
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The water of Lourdes: a sign of life and communion
Water plays a central role in Lourdes. It recalls baptism, the common foundation of all Christians. Although our traditions differ, baptism unites us deeply in Christ who died and rose again. In this sense, the water of Lourdes can be seen as a prophetic sign: it does not distinguish, it does not separate, it is offered to everyone.
Washing, drinking, and allowing oneself to be touched by this water thus becomes a symbolic gesture of unity: an invitation to allow ourselves to be purified of our fears, our prejudices, and our historical divisions.
Mary, mother of all Christ's disciples
In Lourdes, Mary presents herself simply, ‘I am the Immaculate Conception.’ She does not impose herself, she always leads us to Christ. From an ecumenical perspective, Mary can be looked upon as an attentive mother who gathers disciples around her Son, without ever taking his place.
At Cana, she said, ‘Do whatever he tells you’ (Jn 2:5). These words remain a sure path to unity: listening together to the Word of Christ and putting it into practice.
Praying and walking together
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites us to go beyond a merely theoretical unity. Lourdes reminds us that unity is built in concrete ways: by bearing the sufferings of the world together, by serving the most vulnerable, by venturing into encounter and dialogue.
May this week be a time of conversion of heart for each one of us, so that, as in Lourdes, we may become pilgrims of unity, witnesses of a hope stronger than our divisions.
Prayer for Christian unity
Lord Jesus, who on the eve of dying for us,
prayed that all your disciples might be perfectly one,
as you are in your Father, and your Father in you,
make us keenly aware of the pain of our disunity.
Give us the loyalty to recognise
and the courage to reject what lies hidden within us:
indifference, mistrust, and even mutual hostility.
Grant that we may meet each other in you,
so that from our souls and our lips
may rise unceasingly your prayer for the Christian unity
that you desire, and by the means that you will.
In you, who are perfect charity,
let us find the path that leads to unity,
in obedience to your love and your truth.
Amen.
