Prayer and Ecumenical Gatherings

Every year, from 18 to 25 January, we celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

It is a meaningful and intense week in which Christians from different traditions across Málaga come together to pray in various churches throughout the province.

The highlight is usually the ecumenical prayer service in Málaga Cathedral, generally held on the Saturday at 12 noon.

These gatherings are open to everyone who wishes to take part and share in a day when Christian unity becomes visible and real.

The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women from around the world.

Each year, women from a different country prepare the liturgy and message, inviting all denominations to join in a day of prayer that is united, global, and participatory.

It is an opportunity to hear the voices of Christian women from other contexts, to pray with them and for them, and to strengthen bonds of faith and commitment that reach beyond borders and cultures.

The Agape is one of the most meaningful traditions of our Foundation.

Its script was written by our founder, Father Ramón Delius, S.J., as a profound gesture of unity, communion, and shared spirituality.

This prayer incorporates elements from the Jewish tradition, acknowledging our common roots and celebrating liberation through the love of God. Above all, it recreates the words and spirit of the Last Supper, bringing to life the command of Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

More than just a shared meal, the Agape is an intimate moment for those who believe in unity — an act of fellowship, remembrance, and hope that binds us together beyond words.

Unity in Diversity

At Pentecost, we celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit, who unites believers into one body while at the same time giving a diversity of gifts for the common good.

It is a special moment to remember that unity does not mean uniformity, but harmony in difference — when each person offers who they are and what they have in loving service to others.

At Lux Mundi, we celebrate this feast as a profound symbol of our ecumenical commitment: to come together in our differences, guided by the same Spirit, and to share the unique gifts of each one of us.

This is an ecumenical opportunity to bring together different Christian traditions in prayer and to renew our shared commitment to care for our common home.

This journey began in 1989, when Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople proclaimed 1 September as the Day of Prayer for Creation in the Orthodox Church. In 2001, the Charta Oecumenica — signed by the Conference of European Churches and the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences — extended this commitment to other Christian Churches.

In 2008, the Third European Ecumenical Assembly proposed broadening this initiative to run until 4 October, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, giving rise to what is now known as the Season of Creation.

Finally, in 2015, Pope Francis, inspired by his encyclical Laudato Si’, incorporated this celebration into the Catholic Church, officially recognising the period from 1 September to 4 October as a special time of prayer and action for creation throughout the world.

Each year we hold the Annual Meeting of Churches, convened by the Bishop of Málaga, who attends in person as a sign of the Diocese’s commitment to fostering fraternity among Christians in our multicultural province.

Pastors, laypeople, and representatives from various Christian traditions present on the Costa del Sol come together to get to know one another better and to strengthen the bonds of unity between our communities.

In a spirit of genuine ecumenical communion, we share experiences, plan the following year’s activities together, and explore new ways of working in pastoral collaboration for the good of all.

This gathering also provides an informal space for pastors from different Churches to meet personally, helping to build relationships that shape a true ecumenical family. Dialogue and mutual understanding are essential for moving forward on the path to unity.

On a date close to Christmas, we gather with joy to celebrate the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. We do so through prayers and songs that open our hearts to the mystery of God who draws near, who becomes a child out of love.

This gathering — full of light, hope, and joy — brings together different Christian Churches and their choirs, who share with us how, from their own countries, traditions, and cultures, they express the joy of Jesus’ birth.

Every voice, every language, every melody comes together in one praise, bearing witness to the richness of our diversity, the strength of our common faith, and the cultural beauty of each place.

We experience together the joy of the Gospel and the fraternity of brothers and sisters from different traditions, remembering that in the manger of Bethlehem is also born the hope of unity for all humanity.

The celebration takes place at the Parish of Our Lady of Carmen and Santa Fe in Los Boliches, and at the Parish of Saint Andrew in Torre del Mar.