FAQs

What is World Day of Prayer? 

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement led by Christian women of many traditions who gather in local communities for a common day of prayer on the first Friday of March each year.

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What are the acronyms for World Day of Prayer

and its International Committee? 

In English, the movement is known as World Day of Prayer (WDP)

and the International Committee is known as WDPIC — World Day

of Prayer International Committee. The "o" from the word "of" is

not included. In Spanish, the movement is known as Día Mundial

de Oración (DMO), and in French, Journée Mondiale de Prière (JMP).

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What does the word "ecumenical" mean? 

"Ecumenical" refers to cooperation and fellowship across different

Christian churches and traditions. World Day of Prayer is proudly ecumenical — women from Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and many other traditions pray and work together at every level of the movement.

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Is the World Day of Prayer always on the same day? 

The official day is always the first Friday of March, every year. However, some local communities choose to celebrate on a different date around that time to accommodate local needs.

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                                                                                                               What is a National Committee? 

                                                                                                        A National Committee is a group of women in a given                                                                                                                      country who are responsible for coordinating World Day of                                                                                                              Prayer at the national level. Each committee strives to be as                                                                                                            representative as possible of the different Christian                                                                                                                          traditions, ethnicities, languages, and regions within that                                                                                                                country.

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Is World Day of Prayer just a one-day event? 

Not at all! While the first Friday of March is the heart of the movement, World Day of Prayer is very much a year-round community. Throughout the year, local and national committees hold meetings, retreats, and leadership trainings. Women study and learn about the country writing the upcoming service. Young women's programs are organized. A virtual global choir connects singers across the world. The movement is meant to be a continuing relationship of prayer, learning, and service — not just a single day.

 

HISTORY & ORGANIZATION

When did World Day of Prayer begin? 

The movement began in 1927, when a small committee of American women sent a call to pray to their missionary contacts around the world — and women everywhere responded. 

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What is the difference between WDP and WDPIC? 

WDP is the worldwide movement, which began in 1927. WDPIC — the World Day of Prayer International Committee — is the international body formed in 1968 to coordinate and support that movement. 

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Where is the WDPIC office located? 

The Interchurch Center, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 729, New York, NY, USA.

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What is an International Meeting?    

Every 4 to 5 years, WDPIC gathers delegates from National

Committees around the world for an International Meeting -

the official governing body of WDPIC. Together they worship,

share, elect leadership, and make decisions about the future

of the movement.

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What are the World Day of Prayer Guiding

Principles? 

The 9 Guiding Principles, adopted at the 2007 International

Meeting, hold the movement together across its many cultural,

linguistic, ethnic and theological differences. They are the shared

foundation that guides how WDP women relate to one another

and work together around the world.

 

ABOUT THE SERVICE

Who writes the World Day of Prayer service each year? 

The service is usually written by an ecumenical group of women from one country. We rotate between different regions of the world to ensure that the full diversity of the global movement is represented over time. Writers and themes are selected at International Meetings, often 8-9 years ahead of time.

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How far in advance is the service prepared? 

The writing process begins about 4 years before the service is celebrated. The completed service is sent to all National Committees approximately 18 months before the first Friday of March, giving them time to translate, adapt, and prepare resources for local communities.

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What languages does WDPIC work in? 

The official language of the WDPIC office is English, and the

three languages of the movement are English, Spanish, and

French — meaning materials are published in all three each

year. From there, National Committees translate the service

into their own local languages, bringing the total to more

than 90 languages worldwide.

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Can men and children attend the service? 

Yes! While World Day of Prayer is a movement initiated and

led by women, all people are warmly welcome to attend.

Leadership and planning remain in the hands of women at

all levels.

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Can people of other faiths attend? 

People of other faiths are welcome as guests, and we extend warm Christian hospitality to all who wish to join. 

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What does "Informed Prayer — Prayerful Action" mean? 

This is the motto of World Day of Prayer. It means that we take time to truly learn about the country and women who wrote the service before we pray — and that our prayer then inspires us to act for justice and peace. We believe that prayer and action belong together.

 

THE OFFERING

What happens to the offering collected at services? 

Offerings are collected by National Committees, who determine how the funds are used in their country and abroad. The money supports projects benefiting women, children, and youth — including widows, refugees, migrants, and victims of war.

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Who decides how the offering is distributed? 

Each National Committee decides how the offering collected in their country is used. A portion supports the work of WDPIC. All financial decisions follow principles of transparency and accountability.

 

GETTING INVOLVED

How do I find a local World Day of Prayer service to attend? 

We are delighted you are interested! Please click HERE for more information.

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How can young women get involved? 

Young women are a vital part of the World Day of Prayer

movement. We encourage participation in local services,

national committees, and leadership roles. In recent years

the movement has been exploring new initiatives to engage

younger women. A Young Women's Pilgrimage was organized

- originally planned to go to Palestine leading up to March

2024, it was postponed due to the outbreak of violence. The

group did organize a Young Women’s Pilgrimage to the

Cook Islands in January 2025. An upcoming Young Women's

Leadership Institute is being organized for Fall 2026, open to

women ages 21–35. We are always seeking new ways to

engage younger women in the movement — if you have

ideas, we would love to hear from you!

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What is special about 2027? 

2027 marks 100 years since the first worldwide Day of Prayer in 1927, and the whole movement is celebrating together. On March 5, 2027, communities around the world will gather for a special centennial service. The global campaign "Root, Reflect, Rise" invites every community to plant a tree as a living symbol of WDP's growth, reflect by writing the herstory of World Day of Prayer in their country and interviewing elders in the movement, and rise by raising funds for the newly launched Young Women's Fund. Centennial projects include a Music Book gathering songs from across 100 years of the movement, a Prayer Book collecting 100 prayers from 100 years, and Conversation Circles exploring the Guiding Principles. The Young Women's Leadership Institute will also take place in Fall 2026 as part of the centennial celebrations. The year culminates with the 15th International Meeting in Accra, Ghana, June 21–28, 2027.

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How do I start or join a National Committee? 

If there is already a National Committee in your country, reach out to them to learn how to get involved. If your country does not yet have a committee, contact the WDPIC office — we would love to help World Day of Prayer take root in your community.