Noticias

Chicago, IL (August 24, 2018) – Heeding the calls of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox parishioners will come together to commemorate the fourth annual Great Vespers for the World Day of Prayer for Creation and uphold their tradition of environmental stewardship.

The Vespers service dates back to 1989 when the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople designated the First of September as a day of prayer for “the protection of the environment” for Orthodox Christians. This tradition has been continued by his successor, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. Sharing concern for creation with Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis acted in 2015 by instituting the first of September as the “Word Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation” for Roman Catholics. 

Catholics recognize that Pope Francis’ inauguration of a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation highlights the crisis nature of the earth’s environmental problems.“Just as we annually pray for peace, or for migrants and refugees, the elevation of this observance to a World Day of Prayer calls us to consider the plight of the earth, along with the plight of nations and suffering individuals,” said Very Rev. Thomas A. Baima, Vicar for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago. “The World Day of Prayer is an acknowledgment of the role of the Greek Orthodox Church leading Christians to a new awareness of our joint obligation toward our world, which God created and declared to be good.” 

The Vespers Service will be presided over by Rev. Fr. Panagiotis Boznos, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, and Fr. Baima, who is representing Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago. A reception will follow the service with two featured speakers: Sr. Dawn M. Nothwehr, O.S.F., Ph.D. professor of Catholic Theological Ethics at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and Jake Barnett, Institutional Consultant with Graystone Consulting.

“As God’s children, we are beneficiaries of His vast and precious creation and, for that reason, we are called to be custodians responsible for the care of that creation,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. “We are pleased to join our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters to show gratitude for creation and embrace continued resolve for Christian stewardship through prayer, education and action.”

The teachings of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato sí, petition individuals and communities to care for our common [earthly] home and thus respecting the dignity of every human being, especially the poor, marginalized, and future generations

The Great Vespers prayer service is not limited to Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but is open to all in Chicagoland who are concerned about the environment. In particular, parishioners of SS. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, both in Glenview, are invited. The Vespers service will be held on Friday, August 31 at 7 p.m. at SS. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, 1401 Wagner Road, Glenview, IL.