The “Feast of Creation”, also known as “Creation Day”, is an important Christian celebration that takes place annually on September 1st, or the following Sunday (which this year happens on September 7th). Originally inspired by an ancient liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church, in place since the 5th century, nearly all major denominations now join the annual observance, celebrating God as Creator and the great mystery of creation, while also inspiring us to care for the gift of the created world.
A wonderful new video by the World Council of Churches summarizes the rich history and symbolism of the feast.
Besides being a moment to repent for our desecration of the gift of the created world and pray for its healing, the feast celebrates Creation as a foundational mystery of our Christian faith. In fact, as many Christians commemorate the 1700 years of Nicaea in 2025, Creation Day is an opportunity to celebrate the creed’s proclamation of our faith in the Triune God as Creator – in “the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth”, in Christ “through [whom] all things were made”, and in the Holy Spirit, “the giver of life”.
Creation Day’s liturgical and theological symbolism is so profound that a process is underway to turn it into a liturgical feast or observance in all church calendars. We were privileged to send a delegate to represent our tradition in an ecumenical conference in Assisi last May. A true “kairos” was experienced there, with the emergence of a strong consensus about the importance of the various denominations moving forward to embrace Creation Day more intentionally in the different church calendars. This promising ecumenical process is unprecedented in the long history of Christianity. Reading the signs of the times, while firmly grounded in our common faith and distinct traditions, there is a strong desire for a joint step. The hope is that the new feast could be a tangible gesture of Christian unity that might continue to bear fruit way beyond the Nicaea centenary. More details will follow in the near future.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone to join the online ecumenical prayer service on September 1st and celebrate the feast locally, as well as the larger Season of Creation. More details and useful resources are available at www.FeastOfCreation.com
May this very special Feast of Creation renew our commitment to care for creation, cherish the mystery of Creation, honor God as Creator, and reinvigorate our journey towards Christian unity.