Under dagens Angelus-bønn brukte pave Benedikt det meste av tida til å snakke om Bønneuken for kristen enhet, som i år feirer 100 år:
Benedict XVI recalled that «today the spiritual sons and daughters of Father Wattson, the Brothers and Sisters of the Atonement, are present in Saint Peter’s Square». This is the religious community that began the tradition of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
He then commented briefly on the theme chosen for the Week this year, «Pray without ceasing» (1 Thess. 5:17). «With this appeal, [Saint Paul] . . . wants to make it known that the new life in Christ and in the Holy Spirit brings the ability to rise above every form of egoism, to live together in peace and fraternal union, to bear each other’s burdens and sufferings willingly. We must never grow weary of praying for Christian unity!».
The pope then invited everyone to participate in the solemn Vespers that he will lead on January 25 at the basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, «to invoke from God the precious gift of reconciliation among all the baptised».