ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 8, 2024 / 15:46 pm
The Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has announced the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the 58th World Day of Peace 2025, which will be celebrated on Jan. 1: “Forgive Us Our Trespasses, Grant Us Your Peace.”
The theme, the dicastery explained, “manifests a natural consonance with the biblical and ecclesial meaning of the jubilee year and is inspired in particular by the encyclical letters Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, especially around the concepts of hope and forgiveness, the heart of the jubilee” called by Pope Francis for the year 2025.
According to the Vatican office, the theme represents “a call to conversion, not oriented toward condemnation but toward reconciling and being reconciled.”
The dicastery noted that by “considering the reality of conflicts and social sins afflicting humanity today in light of the hope inherent in the jubilee tradition of the forgiveness of sins ... concrete principles emerge that can lead to a much-needed spiritual, social, economic, ecological, and cultural change.”
“Only through a true conversion, personal, communal, and international, can true peace flourish, which is not manifested only in the end of conflicts but in a new reality in which wounds are healed and the dignity of each person is recognized,” the dicastery stated.
In previous years, the themes proposed by Pope Francis for this day have focused on artificial intelligence, dialogue between generations, the culture of care, or good politics.
An initiative of St. Paul VI
The call to observe this day was first made by St. Paul VI, who established that on Jan. 1, 1968, the Day of Peace, now the World Day of Peace, would be held.
In his first message, the pontiff expressed his belief that “this proposal interprets the aspirations of peoples, of their governments, of international organisms which strive to preserve peace in the world, of those religious institutions so interested in the promotion of peace, of cultural, political, and social movements which make peace their ideal; of youth, whose perspicacity regarding the new paths of civilization, dutifully oriented toward its peaceful developments is more lively; of wise men who see how much, today, peace is both necessary and threatened.”
The pope’s initiative preceded that of the United Nations, which in 1981 designated Sept. 21 as the International Day of Peace. In 2001, the General Assembly voted unanimously to designate the day as a period of nonviolence and cease-fire.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.
As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Click hereOur mission is the truth. Join us!
Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.
Donate to CNA