September 16th to 23rd

Theme:  “No Place to Lay My Head”

22 November 2022, Jerusalem, Palestine: Sunset over the Jerusalem old city and east Jerusalem. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC

The World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations around the world to join together for a week of prayer for just peace for all in Palestine and Israel.  This week includes the International Day of Prayer for Peace on September 21st.

While commemorating 75 years of Nakba (catastrophe) of the Palestinian people since 1948, the preparatory committee for this year’s materials questioned the injustice in all this for the family and chose the Bible verse Matthew 8:20 to lay down the issue as presented by Jesus Christ: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

From this verse comes the theme of the 2023 World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, “No place to lay my head,” reflecting the challenge for Palestinian families as well as other people facing difficulties to a uniting home.

A global ecumenical prayer on September 18th will commemorate the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel.  The World Council of Churches (WCC) is inviting online or in-person participation for people to pray, advocate, and stand in solidarity with people in the Holy Land.  Information about this prayer service will be found here.  Watch the Global Prayer live on September 18th, 15:00 CEST (6:00 am PDT) at www.oikoumene.org/live.

For more information go to this page on the World Council of Churches website.