Supraśl, Poland, September 2, 2025
suprasl.org
On the first day of the Ecclesiastical New Year, September 1, 2025, SUPRASL: A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth initiated a worldwide prayer campaign for the unity of the Orthodox Church and for God’s creation. The campaign, an idea of the participants of the fourth annual SUPRASL World Gathering which took place this past July in Supraśl, Poland, calls upon the entire faithful—hierarchs, clergy, and laity—to unite in daily prayer at a common hour.
The initiative draws direct inspiration from a prayer campaign for Orthodox missions launched in 1957 in Athens by a young theologian, the now-renowned Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of All Albania. Archbishop Anastasios of thrice blessed memory, a pivotal figure in the founding of the SUPRASL fellowship, exemplified the power of concerted prayer long before his transformative missionary and patriarchal work.
The 90 students of SUPRASL 2025, representing a multitude of countries, cultures, and a majority of the world’s autocephalous Orthodox churches, have issued a formal letter to Patriarchs, Bishops, youth organizations, and all the faithful, inviting global participation. The letter, composed under this year’s theme, “Living the Creed: From Words to Action,” states: “We have reflected on our belief in One Orthodox Church that cannot be divided. Now, we are moved to act on that faith through prayer.”
The mechanics of the campaign are intentionally simple yet profound. Participants are asked to commit to praying the provided prayer each day at 9:00 PM Central European Time (CET), 10:00 PM EEST; 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) etc, no matter their location. The organizers emphasize that this is not a call for physical gatherings or online meetings, but rather a decentralized, personal commitment, creating a unified spiritual front across the globe.
“We act with faith—a faith that assures us that even if only two or three gather in His name, our prayers will be heard,” the letter reads. It further clarifies that the effort is not performative, stating, “We endeavor to act not… through YouTube channels, going viral, getting likes, or reposts, nor by any measurable metric. We put not our trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
The prayer itself is a heartfelt supplication to Jesus Christ, the head of the Church. It confesses the unity of the Church, mourns for those separated from it, and pleads for the Holy Spirit to guide hierarchs in their witness to unity. It asks for protection from division, from worldly machinations, and from the sin of pride, while seeking healing for wounds caused by a lack of love.
The SUPRASL participants have pledged that this will be “not another document to be filed away, but a living movement of prayer that shakes the foundations of complacency.” They commit that as they pray, they will also act by “building bridges, serving the needy, and becoming living icons of unity in our local parishes and communities.”
All are invited to join this global symphony of prayer that began on September 1.
The full letter can be found here: https://suprasl.org/prayer-letter
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The prayer (also currently available in Arabic and Romanian) reads:
For the Unity of the Orthodox Church and All of Creation
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, head of the Church that is thy Body, who prayed for thy
disciples to the Father, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”: To thee
we confess that thy Church is one, and cannot be divided; we mourn for all who separate
themselves from Her; we pray that thou mayest make the schisms to cease.
We put not our trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation; rather,
we put all our hope in thee, and we beg of thee, send thy Holy Spirit to guide our hierarchs,
that they may rightly divide the word of thy truth, and that they may bear witness to the
unity of the Church in all their decisions.
Preserve us, O Lord, from the Evil One and all his attempts to divide us, from the
machinations of governments, from the ambitions of fallen men, and from the sin of pride.
Heal the wounds caused by our lack of love, and fill us, and our hierarchs, with love for one
another as brothers in Christ. Keep us in thy truth; thy word is truth.
To thee, and thy Father, and the Holy Spirit: the Holy Trinity, the source and manifestation
of all unity, one in essence and undivided, do we ascribe all praise, honor, and glory, now and
ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
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For more information on the historical inspiration from Archbishop Anastasios, visit: https://suprasl.substack.com/p/a-prayer-campaign
SUPRASL unites Orthodox young adults worldwide to experience the unity, depth, and transformative power of their faith through meaningful dialogue, authentic friendship, and intentional spiritual growth. Our annual gathering brings together students and young professionals for theological reflection, prayer, and vibrant fellowship, fostering a global community rooted in Christ.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak at jmatusiak@suprasl2022.org
Sophia Chiriac at schiriac@suprasl2022.org
A full story about SUPRASL 2025 can be found here: www.suprasl.org/news-suprasl2025
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