The "Feast of Creation” – also known as “Feast of Creation in Christ", "Creation Day” or “Creation Sunday” – is celebrated by many Christian churches on September 1 or the subsequent Sunday. 

Grounded in an ancient liturgical tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, this is a day to praise God as Creator and ponder the great mystery that everything was created through Christ. And, as a result, it also inspires us to care for the gift of the created world — which is why it also celebrated as a “World Day of Prayer for Creation”.

Theological Symbolism of September 1

Since the 7th century, September 1 has symbolized the day of God’s creation of the world in the Byzantine tradition and has been the opening feast of their liturgical year (in a parallel with the feast of Rosh Hashanah marking the Jewish New Year). 

A series of ecumenical conferences, known as ‘The Assisi Process,’ has explored that rich theological symbolism and the potential of the ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ to enrich the Christological nature of non-Byzantine liturgical calendars. In short, the feast contains four interrelated themes: (1) Creation as God’s creative act, (2) Creation as Christological mystery, (3) Creation as Trinitarian mystery, and (4) Creation as sacramental and covenantal.

* A Feast of Creation steering committee, chaired by Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm (WCC moderator), coordinates and animates the celebrations of the feast, with the various church bodies participating in relevant working groups preparing resources in this website.