Pope Leo XIV has voiced his support for the Sept. 1 celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Creation, an ecumenical initiative encouraged by Pope Francis.
“It is more important and urgent than ever,” Leo said during his Sunday Angelus message on Aug. 31. “This year’s theme is ‘Seeds of Peace and Hope.’”
Pope Francis in 2015 established the day of prayer for creation as a universal celebration in the Catholic Church. It had been commemorated by other Christian churches since 1989.
Also known as “Creation Day,” the day of prayer marks the start of a monthlong “Season of Creation,” which ends on Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
“In the spirit of the ‘Canticle of Brother Sun,’ composed by [St. Francis] 800 years ago, we praise God and renew our commitment not to ruin his gift but to take care of our common home,” Leo said at the Aug. 31 Angelus.
In a message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation 2025, released earlier this year, the pope emphasized “that the destruction of nature does not affect everyone in the same way. When justice and peace are trampled underfoot, those who are most hurt are the poor, the marginalized, and the excluded.”
He also criticized the reduction of nature into a bargaining chip and commodity to be bartered for economic or political gain.
“God’s creation turns into a battleground for the control of vital resources. We see this in agricultural areas and forests peppered with landmines, ‘scorched earth’ policies, conflicts over water sources, and the unequal distribution of raw materials,” the pontiff said.
“These various wounds are the effect of sin,” he said. “This is surely not what God had in mind when he entrusted the earth to the men and women whom he created in his image.”
In July, Pope Leo approved new Mass prayers to support the Church’s appreciation for God’s creation. The “Mass for the Care of Creation” was inspired by Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical Laudato Si’, which marks 10 years this year.
Bishops in some countries plan to celebrate the new Mass formulary to mark the World Day of Prayer for Creation.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, president of the commission for social action of the Philippines bishops’ conference, said: “We started promoting Creation Day back in 2003, so it has become immensely popular.”
“This year, for the first time in history, we have a Mass formulary — the Missa pro custodia creationis — that allows us to celebrate Creation Day around the altar, with tailored liturgical texts for the occasion. Our bishops’ conference is animating all parishes across the Philippines to mark the day with the new Mass,” he told The Feast of Creation, an initiative coordinated by the World Council of Churches.
In a press release for Creation Day, the Feast of Creation said the day has roots in ancient Orthodox liturgical tradition from the fifth century: “It is a day to praise God as creator, commemorate the mystery of creation in Christ, and inspire Christians to care for the created world.”
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This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.
