World-wide octave

begins on Friday
BEGINNING next Friday, the Feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome, the Church throughout the world will observe the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The Holy Father himself offers his Mass each day for the intentions of the octave, which ends on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
The daily intentions approved by Cardinal Griffin are: Ian. 18: Unity of Christians and the peace of the world. Jan. 19: Separated Eastern Brethren.
Jan. 20: Separated English Christians.
Jan. 21: Separated Christians in Europe. Jan. 22: Separated Christians in America.
Jan. 23: The return of lapsed Catholics.
Jan. 24: Jews and Mohamedans. Jan. 25: The conversion of the heathen.
The special prayer of the octave That they all may be one, As thou, Father, in me and I in thee; Thal they also may he one in us; That the world may believe that thou hast sent me,
V, And I say unto thee; thou art Peter,
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.
0 Lord Jesus Christ, who didst say to thy Apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; Look not upon our sins, but upon the faith of thy Church And vouchsafe to her that peace and unity
Which is agreeable to thy will Who liven and reignest God for
ever and ever. Amen. This picture for the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity comes from the Catacombs. It depicts Our Lord giving the crown of martyrdom to St. Peter and St Paul.
When a person was buried in the Catacombs, a small glass vessel bearing a picture in gold leaf would he pressed in the still-soft cement. 'I hough the rest of the vessel would break, the picture would remain intact. The picture above is one of many that have been extracted from the cement.
Pope Benedict XV granted a plenary indulgence to those who say this prayer each day and on the last day of the octave. after C:onfession and Holy Communion, visit any church or public oratory to say it.
The present Holy Father granted 300 days' indulgence for the daily recitation of the prayer during the octave and a plenary indulgence once a month if it is said every day of the sear.
Next week Dom Bede Winslow, of St. Augustine's Abbey, Ramsgate, will explain the history of the Octave and Rise examples of present-day work.