Dhaka, ecumenical prayer brings Catholics and Protestants together for unity
About 300 faithful attended the event at the Church of the Rosary in Tejgaon. Archbishop Bejoy N. D'Cruze: divisions are ‘a great scandal’. Methodist Bishop Simon Biswas: ‘When we are united, Christ becomes visible’. An invitation to pray for national harmony in the pre-election context.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Division among Christians weakens their witness to the world, while unity makes Jesus Christ visible. This was stated by Protestant Bishop Simon Biswas during an ecumenical prayer meeting in Dhaka on 3 February 2026.
Held in the Church of the Holy Rosary in Tejgaon, with a religious service and the singing of hymns for Christian unity, the event brought together priests from the Catholic Church and pastors from 18 Protestant denominations.
About 300 people attended the event, organised jointly by the Commission for Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Dhaka and the parish of Tejgaon. Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr Kakon Luke Corraya, coordinator of the Dialogue Commission, explained that the meeting was part of the wider celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, held from 18 to 25 January, with numerous initiatives around the world.
‘Throughout the week, members of different Churches prayed and reflected together,’ Corraya said. ‘As part of this celebration, we organised a large-scale prayer for Christian unity in the church in Tejgaon, so that harmony among us may be strengthened day by day.’
Addressing those present, Bishop Simon Biswas of the Methodist Church emphasised the importance of unity in diversity among Christian denominations in Bangladesh. “We often talk about divisions and conflicts, but we rarely talk about the beauty of our differences,” he said. “Despite our differences, what matters most is to remain united,” Biswas continued.
“Divisions among Christian denominations give a weak witness to the world,” Bishop Biswas added. “But when we are united, Christ becomes visible. Every church and every denomination has something beautiful that glorifies Christ and helps us all move closer to unity.‘
Using a simple analogy, he compared Christian diversity to a sweet shop. ’A sweet shop has many kinds of sweets: some less sweet, some sweeter, some white, some red, some green. Together they create beauty. In the same way, we churches may not be the same in everything, but mutual respect is our strength,‘ he said.
Bejoy N. D'Cruze, Archbishop of Dhaka and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, described Christian division as ’a great scandal before the world." “The followers of the same Christ are divided into numerous groups and sects,” he said. “Perhaps that is why Jesus prayed, ‘May they all be one... so that the world may believe that you sent me.’”
Recalling the history of the Church, D'Cruze noted that during the Second Vatican Council, Protestant Churches expressed their desire for greater unity. He also referred to Pope John Paul II, who actively promoted dialogue with other Christian communities during his pastoral visits abroad.
Furthermore, he recalled that concern for Christian unity is not limited to Catholics. "In 1908, Anglican priest Paul Wattson initiated prayer for Christian unity after witnessing deep divisions between the Churches. He believed that prayer would be the source of strength for unity," he added.
At the beginning of the service, Fr. Joyonto S. Gomes, parish priest of Tejgaon Parish, welcomed the participants and linked the prayer to the current context of the country. ‘This is an important moment for our nation, especially as we are in a pre-election period,’ he said. ‘Let us pray for peace in the country and for unity among the Churches, so that society may progress towards harmony.’
In Bangladesh, the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialogue, established in 1974, has long worked to promote mutual understanding. According to its statutes, the commission aims to foster dialogue between religions, study the spiritual values of others, share Christian values with respect, and publish materials that encourage mutual respect and cooperation.
.png)
31/08/2025 11:08
09/10/2025 13:19
