The Egyptian Churches are now celebrating – and not from 18 to 25 January as in many other countries – their Week of Prayer for the unity of Christians. Fadiah and Philippe of the Focolare Movement in Egypt tell of their participation in the various initiatives of the local Churches and how their prayer invoking the Lord’s protection over the entire Egyptian nation is central to the prayer week especially in this delicate moment. . “Receptive Ecumenism” means overturning our mentality which often conceals itself behind the way the members of the different churches deal with one another. Rev. Dr. Callan Slipper, from the Focolare Movement’s International Study Centre explained this during the ecumenical meeting at Welwyn Garden City (London) last 4 February. Slipper, who is also Regional Delegate for all the Churches in Hertfordshire County, in his speech (Chiara Lubich and convivial ecumenism: how the spirituality facilitates unity between Christians) expounded on how “instead of thinking that all would be better if the others tried to be more similar to us, and that therefore we have something to teach, we should instead, approach others to learn from them.» By going towards the others with this attitude, he said, «we would discover that we have nothing to hide, but can only admit our weaknesses and the need to be healed. This opens up a new relationship and leads us to a new conversion and deeper bond with Christ, in whom we can fully discover our true ecclesiastic identity.” Among the audience was a number of highly qualified people: 14 Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran and Coptic Orthodox Bishops coming from different parts of England together with the Secretary General of Churches Together in England, the national ecumenical organisation of the Churches of England. For them, the meeting was a “taste” of a new ecumenical methodology and a way of sharing experiences in their respective churches. During the same week, in Germany, at the Ecumenical Centre of Ottmaring, all remembered the importance of authentic Christian life that can counter the violent and liberticidal phenomena we have recently witnessed, as in the attacks in Paris. Gérard Testard, French, and member of the Executive Committee of the “Together for Europe ” network and founder of the interreligious “Efesia” initiative, was guest of honour: “Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well – he said, referring to the phrase chosen for the Week of Prayer “Will you give me a drink? ” (John 4,7) – points out the way for this situation: Jesus breaks down all the barriers men have built and manifests himself as the Saviour of the world. The present-day events oblige us as Christians to work for unity, while the mission of unity goes beyond the Christian world to face the perils of unacceptable terrorism, violence, fanaticism.” Testard presented the positive experience of dialogue promoted also by the Council of Muslims of France and the French Bishops’ Conference, and “Efesia” created in 2007 in Lebanon. Christians and Muslims regularly meet on 25 March, feast of the Annunciation, since Mary is highly venerated also by Muslims. After four years the Lebanese authorities declared 25 March as a national Christian-Muslim holiday. It is historically the country’s first common feast day.»