World Day of Peace

Annual celebration by the Catholic Church

Not to be confused with International Day of Peace.

World Day of Peace

Observed by| All world
Celebrations| Multiple world wide events
Date| 1 January
Next time| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)
Frequency| Annual
Related to| Catholic Church

The World Day of Peace is an annual celebration by the Catholic Church, dedicated to universal peace, held on 1 January, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Pope Paul VI established it in 1967, being inspired by the encyclical Pacem in Terris of Pope John XXIII and with reference to his own encyclical Populorum Progressio. The day was first observed on 1 January 1968.

World Day of Peace often has been an occasion on which the Popes made magisterial declarations of social doctrine. Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II made important declarations on the Day in each year of their pontificates regarding the United Nations, human rights, women's rights, labor unions, economic development, the right to life, international diplomacy, peace in the Holy Land (including Israel and Palestine), globalization, and terrorism.[1]

In England and Wales, "Peace Sunday" is traditionally observed on the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is the Sunday occurring between 14 and 20 January, inclusive. The British branch of the Pax Christi movement prepares suggested material for it annually.[2]

## References

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1. ^ Pope Assails Totalitarianism, Intolerance of Religion: John Paul, in World Day of Peace Message, Also Calls Fundamentalism a Threat to Peace. Los Angeles Times.
2. ^ Letter of Bishop Malcolm McMahon to Catholic Parishes in England and Wales for Peace Sunday 2012, partially quoted in [1].

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to World Day of Peace.

* Index of Papal Messages for World Day of Peace under Pope Paul VI
* Index of Papal Messages for World Day of Peace under Pope John Paul II
* Index of Papal Messages for World Day of Peace under Pope Benedict XVI.
* Index of Papal Messages for World Day of Peace under Pope Francis.
* US Catholic Bishops' Resources for World Day of Peace
* Pax Christi UK Resources for Peace Sunday
* Scottish Catholic Justice and Peace