World Day of Prayer
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On the first Friday of March, the World Day of Prayer will once again be organized worldwide. It is one of the most significant ecumenical initiatives of Christian women. Congregations from more than 170 countries join the event, and different Christian denominations around the world participate together in prayer and worship. Each year the liturgy comes from a different country. This year the liturgical materials were prepared by Christian women from Nigeria.
The World Day of Prayer is a more than one-hundred-year-old, women-led ecumenical movement whose goal is to connect Christians through shared prayer and active love. One of the unique aspects of this day is that services are held successively around the world, creating a kind of “prayer chain.” The program begins in Samoa and moves around the globe for approximately 36–38 hours, ending in American Samoa.
The event is not only a spiritual gathering but also an opportunity for participants to learn about the culture, social situation, and everyday life of Christian communities in the featured country. The central theme of the 2026 liturgy is Jesus’ invitation from the Gospel of Matthew: “Come to me, all you who are weary… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–30). The title of the service material is “Come, I Will Give You Rest.” Christian women in Nigeria reflected on this biblical passage from their own life experiences. In their writings and prayers they testify that they carry many of the burdens of the world: poverty, social tensions, religious persecution, and the daily challenges of making a living. Despite these realities, they affirm that true rest and hope can be found in Christ. The program includes biblical reflections, prayers, songs, and personal stories that present the faith, perseverance, and communal strength of Nigerian women. The authors hope that Christian communities around the world will pray together and recognize that faith and solidarity with one another provide strength to carry life’s burdens.
The World Day of Prayer is also connected to an artistic creation. The official image for 2026 – “Rest for the Weary” – portrays the everyday life of Nigerian women: women working in the fields while carrying the responsibilities of work, family, and community. At the same time, the artwork expresses hope: women from different ethnic groups sit together, symbolizing unity and community in Christ.
Each year the message of the World Day of Prayer goes beyond the borders of a single country. The 2026 motto – “Come, I Will Give You Rest” – reminds Christians around the world that amid many burdens and uncertainties they can find peace in Christ and, by carrying one another’s burdens, become a community of hope.
