*By Martin Hoegger
Heraklion, October 9, 2025. Two conferences from the symposium on the theology of ecology at the Patriarchal Academy of Crete shed light on the spiritual and ecumenical significance of September 1st, the beginning of the ecclesiastical year and the Day of Prayer for Creation. Emmanuel Doundoulakis explored the Orthodox liturgical office and its theology, while Tomas Insua traced the feast’s history and advocated for its broader adoption across all Churches.
The Meaning of the Beginning
Established by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1989, the prayer of September First opens with the theme of beginning: the start of the liturgical year, the biblical memory of creation, and the call to renew the covenant with God. Emmanuel Doundoulakis, professor at the Patriarchal Academy of Crete, notes that the Morning Prayer Office (“Orthros”) portrays this foundational dynamic: the universe ordered by God and sustained in harmony becomes the measure of human praise and responsibility. The 1st of September is not simply a “day of nature” among others; it celebrates the Creator God and humanity’s vocation to care for the common home.
The Structure of a Prayer That Educates the Heart
The office can be read on several levels: structure, aesthetics, scriptural and patristic references. Its liturgical morphology leads from thanksgiving to intercession and then to conversion. The hymns, of great literary quality, intertwine classical vocabulary with ecclesiastical language. This beauty is not ornamental but pedagogical: it teaches us to see the world as a gift rather than an object, to unite asceticism and gratitude.
Wounded Creation and the Call to Limit Power
The office does not conceal the wound: the fall drags creation into corruption, and our passions “trouble the atmosphere.” The ecological crisis is first a crisis of the heart; the healing of the world requires the conversion of humanity. At the same time, the liturgy sets a limit to power: the prayer implores Christ to turn away disasters and strengthen us, both materially and spiritually, so that inner balance may translate into care for life.
To Pray, to Believe, and to Live
Tomas Insua, director of the Laudato Si’ Center in Assisi, opens the ecumenical dimension: what the Church prays shapes what it believes, and what it believes shapes how it lives—according to the ancient adage, “Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi.” While much attention has been given to the doctrine of creation and its ethical implications, the liturgical dimension has often been underestimated in the West. The Orthodox tradition, nourished by figures such as John Zizioulas, has linked thanksgiving and creation; this is a treasure to be shared, for liturgy transforms mentalities from within.
From the Phanar to Assisi: A Shared History to Be Written
Insua recalls the recent history: the Patriarch Dimitrios’ encyclical (1989), the composition of the office (1990), pan-Orthodox recognition (1992), and the ecumenical impetus of the Season of Creation from September 1st to October 4th. In 2015, the Catholic Church also adopted this day into its liturgical calendar. Today, international gatherings—often in Assisi—bring together Christian families around a common proposal: to make September 1st a true Feast of Creation in all traditions.
Theology of the Double Meaning: Creation and Created
To explain the feast’s significance, Insua distinguishes between the divine act (Creation) and its fruit (the created world). Celebrating September 1st means holding together these two dimensions: giving glory to the God who “in the beginning” calls all things into being and honoring the created world as the place where His goodness is revealed. The pastoral implication is clear: this feast is not an optional “green” addition, but the expression of a Christology in which “all things were made through Christ.”
Proposals for the Future
Two recent documents point the way forward: a Catholic proposal titled “The Feast of Creation in Christ,” affirming the Christological foundation of the celebration, and an interconfessional report, “An Ecumenical Dream for the Third Millennium,” outlining convergences in liturgy and pedagogy. On the Orthodox side, Insua suggests that the themes of creation could be further emphasized on September 1st, perhaps even elevating the feast within the liturgical calendar to highlight its spiritual significance.
Conclusion: Praying to Learn How to Live in Creation
From the reflections of Doundoulakis and Insua emerges a shared conviction: the Feast of Creation is a journey. It leads from contemplation to conversion, from praise to justice, from liturgical beauty to ethical living. It calls for concrete actions—sobriety, protection of the vulnerable, and responsible stewardship of the common good—nourished by the prayer of the whole Church.
To adopt September 1st together is to consent to a new beginning: a life reconciled with God, with the earth, and with our brothers and sisters.
*Martin Hoegger is a Reformed theologian and author from Switzerland. He participated in the Heraklion symposium. https://www.hoegger.org
