Feast of Creation
| Feast of Creation | |
|---|---|
God the Geometer — Gothic frontispiece of the Bible moralisée, representing God's act of Creation. France, mid-13th century | |
| Observed by | Christianity |
| Type | Christian |
| Observances | Church services, planting trees, picking up litter |
| Date | 1 September |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Creationtide |
The Feast of Creation, also known as the Feast of Creation in Christ, Creation Sunday, Creation Day or the World Day of Prayer for Creation, is celebrated in Christianity on September 1 or the subsequent Sunday to honour the creation of the universe by God and commemorate the "mystery of creation in Christ".
The Feast of Creation heralds God as Creator. On the Feast of Creation, the faithful offer "prayers and supplications to the Maker of all, both as thanksgiving for the great gift of Creation and as petitions for its protection and salvation," as proposed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1989. The readings for this day include the Genesis creation narrative in the Bible. In addition to partaking in liturgies of the Feast of Creation, Christians exercise environmental stewardship on the feast day through the caring for the world with activities such as planting trees or picking up litter. In addition to formal liturgies, ecumenical (interdenominational) prayer services are common on the Feast of Creation as well.
The Feast of Creation has long been observed by Christian denominations such as the Eastern Orthodox Churches and since the 1990s, the Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Churches, Anglican Communion, and Baptist Churches have celebrated the holy day. The feast is recognized by the World Council of Churches. The month of September is regarded by many Christian Churches as Creationtide or Season of Creation, which concludes on the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi (October 4) as he is the patron saint of ecology.