On 6 August 2015, Pope Francis instituted a new day of prayer for the Catholic Church entitled World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to be celebrated on 1 September each year in union with the Orthodox Church, which has been observing this Day since 1989.
In communicating this news, the Pope said: “In communion of prayer with our Orthodox brothers and sisters and all people of good will, we want to offer our contribution toward overcoming the ecological crisis that humanity is living through. Throughout the world, various ecclesial communities have planned suitable initiatives of prayer and reflection on the local level to make this Day a powerful moment of prayer, reflection, conversion and the adoption of appropriate life styles.”