Coinciding with the International Day of Prayer for Peace, the Canadian Council of Churches is inviting the faithful from across Canada to commemorate the day by “praying with their feet,” encouraging thoughtful walks while sharing prayers for peace by themselves or with others.

During this year’s special President’s Prayer Walk for Peace Sept. 21, the ecumenical body also extends an opportunity for Christian unity through prayer. 

While the United Nations first recognized an annual Day of Peace in 1981, ahead of the World Council of Churches beginning to recognize Sept. 21 as an International Day of Prayer for Peace, this year marks the first president’s peace walk. This added wrinkle hopes to enhance the message of goodwill during a time of increased conflict. 

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“I think we are all taken with the conflict in Russia and Ukraine, as well as in Gaza and Israel, on top of other conflicts that we're concerned about. The Canadian Council of Churches have this deep, long-term commitment to work for peace, and so it seemed this year especially that it would make sense to really try to lift up the International Day of Prayer for Peace and to join together with others to mark that,” said pastor Peter Noteboom, the general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches. 

Noteboom said the council’s president, Rev. Amanda Currie, will take part. He noted Currie's strong personal spiritual practice of prayer walking occurs daily. 

The prayer walk encourages a strong "do it yourself" delivery, asking participants to plan a walk that works best for them, whether with fellow parishioners, faith communities, friends, family or by themselves. 

Regardless of who, where or with whom you walk, the peace initiative’s overarching symbolism acts as a visual testament to ecumenism, Christian unity and public prayer. 

“ For the constituency, members of the Canadian Council of Churches, and certainly for myself, faith, prayer and worship services are not private things. Faith has huge public implications, and we want to wear our faith in the public square respectfully, of course,” he said. 

“Canada is richer when its faith communities can be present, recognized, acknowledged and together pray for peace. That, in and of itself, is an important testament and an important witness.”

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The topic of public prayer and its importance has been a recent national talking point, thanks to the Québec government's plan to present a bill banning prayer in public in the province. 

While this year’s prayer walk is not a direct response to the proposed bill, the notion has certainly caught the attention of the council, as well as Montréal Archbishop Christian Lépine, who recently responded by saying that to forbid public prayer “would be somewhat like forbidding thought itself.” 

“ I think we share many of the concerns that the Quebec bishops have raised about (the proposed ban), and while we sort of defer to Quebecers to make their decisions about their own public policy, it does strike me that this would be hard to legislate — how do you even know if somebody is praying or not?” Noteboom asked. 

“ (The prayer walk) was not intended to be some sort of a protest or public expression in response to that bill, but it does speak to the tradition that we hold in Canada: That people are free to practise their religion and belief in public.”  

While the CCC has long been an ecumenical body, Noteboom shared a word to Catholics interested in attending this year’s president walk. 

“ I was struck, especially this time around, with the election of Pope Leo and his title of pontiff and of being a bridge builder. I think that role in today's world is super important, and so praying for Pope Leo and his role as a bridge builder is very appropriate for the Catholic community in Canada.” 

Catholic or not, the council hopes the collective act of public prayer will inspire participants to draw closer to God and each other, reflective of its mission to advocate for peace and human dignity across Canada. 

“ Often our prayers and our devotions are individual, private and personal, and while that's super important, there is a whole other dimension that opens up when they become communal, public and intentional with other people listening and participating in prayer,” Noteboom said. 

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“That deepens our own sense of connection and relationship with God. Not just a private personal relationship with Him, but a communal and collective one too.” 

Apart from walking in prayer, Canadian Christians are welcome to donate to the council as part of the initiative as well, with just under $2,000 already being gifted. Funds will go towards  the overall work of the Canadian Council of Churches and its members, such as advocating for justice and peace across Canada, assisting refugees and victims of trafficking and fostering reconciliation with Indigenous communities.