Jesus in one of his final moments prayed for the unity of the Church, asking God to unite his disciples.
That prayer is widely regarded as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer in John 17:21, which reads: “That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
In deepening the foundation of Christian faith, Jesus prayed for his disciples and those who would believe in him through their message. He prayed for the unity of the Church, mirroring the unity between him and the Father, as a testament to the world that God sent him.
It is therefore not surprising that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), found a unifying voice in that prayer in the choice of its motto: ‘That they all may be one.’ This biblically-based motto reflects CAN’s divine inspiration and vision to unite all Christians in Nigeria, serving as an ecumenical umbrella for Nigerian Christians.
“We believe that the unity Christ wills for His Church must be visible,” he said, “and that such unity grows through theological dialogue, common worship where possible, and shared witness in the face of humanity’s suffering,” Pope Leo XIV, stated in his recent address to participants in the 2025 Ecumenical Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
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The Pope reaffirmed that “in our world bearing deep scars of conflict, inequality, environmental degradation and a growing sense of spiritual disconnection,” it is especially crucial for Christians to continue working and praying together.
However, that togetherness will not be achieved without Jesus’ prayer asking Christians to be united in purpose, love, and in the very presence of God, so that their unified witness may convince the world that Jesus was sent by God.
This unity is not necessarily uniformity but a spiritual oneness in Christ, achieved through theological dialogue that promotes love, truth, and a shared pursuit of God.
The 2025 Ecumenical week, which started on Monday August 18, is expected to end today Sunday August 24, 2025.
The Pope in speaking about the faith that continues to bind Christians together, recalled that the week marks the Centenary of the 1925 Universal Christian Conference on life and work, as well as the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, when, in the year 325, Bishops from across the known world gathered in Nicaea.
“That Council stood as a courageous sign of unity amidst difference – an early witness to the conviction that our shared confession can overcome division and foster communion,” Pope Leo stated, indicating that peace is a sign of the Lord’s presence with Christians.
The Pope said this call to shared witness finds powerful expression in the theme chosen for the 2025 Ecumenical Week: ‘Time for God’s peace.’ According to him, “We recall that peace is not merely a human achievement, but a sign of the Lord’s presence with us.”
“Our world bears the deep scars of conflict, inequality, environmental degradation and a growing sense of spiritual disconnection,” he stated.
