The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) has announced that all Catholic parishes across the country are requested to celebrate Creation Day on September 6, 2026, using the newly approved formulary and lectionary for the “Mass for the Care of Creation.”

In an announcement addressed to priests nationwide, Cardinal Charles Bo, President of the CBCM, said the celebration will be introduced in Myanmar “Ad experimentum” in 2026, following the authority granted to bishops by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

A Sacred Observance Rooted in Tradition

Creation Day, also known as the World Day of Prayer for Creation or the Feast of Creation in Christ, is observed annually on September 1 or during the following weekend. The day provides Christians with an opportunity to give thanks to God for the gift of creation, pray for its healing, and renew their commitment to caring for the environment.

The initiative was instituted for the universal Catholic Church by Pope Francis in 2015. Pope Leo XIV has continued to promote the observance, emphasizing that the World Day of Prayer for Creation is “more important and urgent than ever.”

According to Cardinal Bo, Pope Leo XIV has also recently promulgated a new “Mass for Creation,” incorporated into the Roman Missal under the section of “Masses for Various Needs.” The new formulary makes it possible for Catholics to commemorate the care of creation more explicitly within the Eucharistic celebration.

Joining a Global Movement

The CBCM said that Myanmar’s decision is being made in communion with other episcopal conferences in Asia and throughout the world. Following the first nationwide celebration in 2026, the bishops will discern during their 2027 plenary meeting whether Creation Day should become a permanent annual liturgical celebration in Myanmar.

The bishops encouraged parishes to prepare adequately for the Eucharistic celebration by making use of pastoral resources prepared by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).

A Call to Repentance and Renewal

Cardinal Bo also highlighted the spiritual dimension of Creation Day, describing it not only as a time to repent for humanity’s destruction and misuse of creation, but also as a celebration of creation as a fundamental mystery of Christian faith.

The tradition of dedicating a day to creation has roots in the ancient Christian tradition of the Orthodox Church, dating back to the seventh century. The celebration points to God as the Creator of heaven and earth and invites Christians to contemplate the mystery of creation through Christ.

The CBCM encouraged Catholics in Myanmar to use the celebration to renew their commitment to the message of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home, published in 2015.

Listening to the Cry of the Earth and the Poor

Recalling a central message of Pope Francis, later reiterated by Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Bo urged Catholics to respond to the urgent need to “listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”

He concluded by inviting the faithful to honor God as Creator through responsible care for the earth and for the gifts entrusted to humanity.

The nationwide celebration of Creation Day on September 6 will therefore provide Catholic communities throughout Myanmar with an opportunity to unite prayer, Eucharistic worship, ecological responsibility, and concern for the poor in a renewed commitment to care for God’s creation.

The celebration of Creation Day in Myanmar represents a significant step in the local Church’s response to the global ecological crisis, affirming that faith and environmental stewardship are inseparable aspects of Christian discipleship.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service