In a groundbreaking ecumenical effort, church leaders from across the world gathered in Assisi, Italy, from May 5–7, 2025, to take concrete steps toward establishing a shared Feast of Creation—a new liturgical celebration uniting Christians across traditions in their commitment to care for the Earth. The gathering brought together representatives from 16 global church bodies, including the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), the Anglican Communion, the Orthodox Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, and the Roman Catholic Church.
The initiative builds upon the legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi, known for his deep reverence for all living things and recognized as the patron saint of ecology. It also draws from the growing global observance of the Season of Creation—a period from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 during which many churches reflect on the theological and moral imperative of caring for God’s creation.
A Liturgical Opportunity, an Ecumenical Kairos
As the global Church responds to the urgent call of ecological stewardship, an emerging consensus is forming around Sept. 1—already marked by the Eastern Orthodox Church as the beginning of the liturgical year—as a date worthy of formal recognition as a liturgical feast across Christian traditions.
Known variously as Creation Day, the Feast of Creation, or the World Day of Prayer for Creation, Sept. 1 was first designated as a day of prayer in 1989 by Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios. He issued an appeal to the entire Christian world to mark the day with “prayers and supplications to the Maker of all, both as thanksgiving for the great gift of Creation and as petitions for its protection and salvation.” The Orthodox Church has commemorated the day since the fifth century, associating it with both the beginning of God’s creation and the start of Christ’s public ministry.
This invitation was later embraced by the World Council of Churches (2008) and the Roman Catholic Church (2015), yet the day remains absent from the official liturgical calendars of many denominations.
In response, a proposal emerged at an ecumenical conference in March 2024, co-sponsored by the WCC, various global communions, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with ongoing dialogue from the Catholic Church. In a message addressed to the participants, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his hope that the initiative would be “a moment of inspiration and kairos” for the global Church.
A Reformed Witness in Assisi
For the WCRC, participation in the Assisi gathering is a natural extension of its longstanding commitment to communion and justice—including ecological justice. The Reformed tradition, grounded in Scripture and public witness, sees liturgy and justice as inseparable.
Representing the WCRC at the Assisi meeting was Tara Curlewis, WCRC’s ecumenical liaison based in Rome. She reflected on the significance of the gathering:
“It was encouraging to see the engagement of so many different confessions attending the Assisi Conference,” Curlewis said, affirming the ecumenical spirit of the meeting. “There is broad support for a feast day that helps the Church refocus on the glory of God as Creator, visible in creation—both in what is seen and unseen.”
Curlewis linked the initiative with deep roots in the Reformed tradition:
“I see this resonates with Calvin’s metaphor of the world as the ‘theater of God’s glory.’ Calvin uses this metaphor to convey the wonder, awe, and astonishment that creation evokes—and ought to evoke.”
“Any feast day that focuses on the mystery of God and creation should embrace the spiritual, theological, and justice dimensions relating to the mystery of God in creation,” she emphasized. “In our Reformed tradition, I hope this will raise greater awareness among our congregations and move us all to a place where we willingly engage in better stewardship of creation as well as advocacy for future care, which is essential.”
Curlewis also noted the broader significance of the proposal:
“Speakers raised awareness that this feast day is equally significant for people of other faiths and has the potential for greater interfaith dialogue in our shared concern for the oikumene—the whole inhabited earth.”
She added, “There is good potential for the Church to engage with younger generations, connecting the spiritual with their concerns arising from today’s ecological crisis.”
“It was felt by many that the inclusion of a feast day has potential as a vehicle for peace.”
Discussions at the conference focused on theological and liturgical foundations for the proposed feast, including scriptural readings, suggested prayers, and affirming Sept. 1 as the proposed date. Bishop Prof. Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC Central Committee, called the initiative “a wonderful expression of the Trinitarian essence that unites us as churches” and emphasized its potential to become a spiritual landmark for the global Church in the third millennium.
Toward a Shared Feast of Creation
The gathering in Assisi marks a pivotal moment in the evolving journey toward the recognition of the Feast of Creation as a liturgical celebration. Many global church families, including four out of five continental Catholic bishops’ conferences, have already voiced their support. Participants agreed to continue collaborating in regional dialogues and through ecumenical bodies to move toward implementation.
As the Church prepares for the centenary celebrations of the Council of Nicaea in 2025, this movement toward a shared liturgical feast represents a powerful ecumenical sign—one that unites tradition, theology, and the urgent call to care for our common home.
The WCRC invites its member churches to actively engage in this initiative, affirming that worship can be a powerful act of ecological resistance and hope.
