As war and division spread, Europe’s churches renew call for prayer and unity

Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius, Lithuania, offers Mass on the feast of St. Luke for the Synod on Synodality delegates in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 18, 2023. | Credit: Evandro Inetti/EWTN News/Vatican Pool

Jan 17, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) issued an appeal to Christians across Europe to pray for peace during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, observed Jan. 18–25.

In a letter addressed to Catholic bishops across the continent, Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius linked this call to prayer with the recent updating of the Charta Oecumenica, the key ecumenical charter for cooperation and unity among Christian churches in Europe, formally signed in Rome on Nov. 5, 2025.

The Lithuanian prelate said that “this unity among the baptized in Christ is a powerful instrument of peace throughout the world,” especially in a “war-torn world.”

What is the Charta Oecumenica?

The Charta Oecumenica was first adopted in 2001 as a roadmap for deeper cooperation among Christian communities in Europe. The 2025 revision, concluded after a three-year process led by a joint working group of the CCEE and the Conference of European Churches (CEC), reflects modern European realities concerning migration and secularization to rising societal prejudices.

The CEC is a fellowship of Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican churches from the nations of Europe.

The revised document encourages churches to broaden mutual understanding and to witness together the Gospel in a continent shaped by cultural diversity, secular pressures, and geopolitical tensions.

Grušas’ appeal touches upon recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV during his audience with Christian leaders following the Charta’s signing. The pope observed that Christians today “often feel increasingly like a minority” in some contexts and urged greater fraternity and openness “amid the clamor of violence and war, whose echoes resound throughout the continent.” His message highlighted the urgency of ecumenical cooperation not as an abstract ideal but as a witness to peace and reconciliation.

For Grušas, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is not only about cohesion among churches but also about fostering peace “among all parties in conflict with one another.”

He invited the faithful to entrust this shared intention to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Europe, and the patron saints of Europe, highlighting prayer as the foundation for spiritual and societal transformation.

Mercy as a practical response to conflict

The archbishop’s announcement comes at a significant moment for the Church in Europe. His archdiocese is preparing to host the sixth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM 6) from June 7–12, an international Catholic gathering focused on the theme “Building a City of Mercy.”

The congress, drawing thousands of faithful, clergy, and laypeople from around the globe, aims to deepen understanding of divine mercy and its role in addressing the spiritual and humanitarian needs of the modern world. It encourages Catholics to become “builders of a culture of mercy” in their families, communities, and societies.