Christian churches in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, marked the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 with a joint ecumenical worship service highlighting unity across denominations and diversity of traditions.
The service, held on Jan. 16, took place at St. John the Evangelist Church in Karangkepuh, Pandowoharjo, Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta.
It was jointly organized by Gereja Kristen Jawa Medari, Gereja Kerasulan Baru Pandowoharjo, and Gereja Katolik St. Yohanes Paulus II Brayut.
The 2026 theme, “One Body and One Spirit, as You Were Called to the One Hope That Belongs to Your Call,” draws from the Pauline image of the Church as the Body of Christ, emphasizing unity amid diversity beyond boundaries of geography, nationality, ethnicity, and tradition.
In his reflection, Father Benedicktus Hanjar Krisnawan, Pr, parish priest of St. John Paul II Parish in Brayut, likened the Church to the human body, which moves under a single command.
He said Jesus Christ reigns within the life of the Christian churches, animating faith through the Spirit and guiding believers to take part in actions rooted in God’s saving love.
Romulus Dwijo Maruta, SE, district evangelist of GKBI Yogyakarta, underscored that the love of Jesus Christ must be central to every Christian action.
He said unity in one body and one Spirit, found in Jesus Christ, calls Christians to become agents of reconciliation in families and communities, while nurturing humble relationships with God and others.
The Rev. Sat Herry Sucahyo, M.Si, of GKJ Jatimulyo Yogyakarta, said the relationship between believers and God forms an inseparable organic unity, with Jesus Christ as its center.
He said differences within the body of the faithful should be valued as a richness, adding that the Week of Prayer service serves as a space to care for diversity united in the Spirit of God.
Local officials also attended the service. Drs. Rasyid Ratnadi Sosiawan, M.Si, Panewu of Kapanewon Sleman, said the atmosphere of calm fostered by the gathering contributes to peace and comfort for the people of Pandowoharjo village and the wider Sleman community. He said the service would be a blessing for all who took part.
The Week of Prayer activities in the West Yogyakarta Vicariate were held in several locations. Father Iswahyudi, Pr, of the Commission for Interreligious Relations and Beliefs, expressed gratitude to the local government for its presence and appreciation for the work of the organizing committee.
As part of the service, organizers distributed fruit tree seedlings to representatives of St. John Paul II Church Brayut, GKJ Mancasan region, and GKBI Pandowoharjo as a sign of the Spirit’s presence. The event concluded with a fellowship gathering.
