Fifth Sunday of the Word of God - 21 january 2024

The fifth Sunday of the Word of God will be held on 21 January 2024. This is an annual celebration established by Pope Francis on 30 September 2019. The theme of this edition is taken from the Gospel of John: “Remain in my Word" (Jn 8:31).

At 9.30 am on Sunday 21 January, the Pope will preside over the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in St Peter's Basilica and, following this, in a gesture designed to remind believers of their responsibility to have a familiarity with the Holy Scriptures, he will give those present a copy of the Gospel of Mark .

During the celebration, the ministries of Lector and Catechist will be conferred on lay women and men – two people will receive the ministry of Lector and nine that of Catechist. These are lay faithful representing the whole the People of God. Those to receive the ministries come from Brazil, Bolivia, Korea, Chad, Germany and the Antilles. The event will be broadcast live on television by Vatican Media and will be broadcast in streaming on the Vatican News portal (vaticannews.va) and will be carried live by the main television stations in the world. In Italy, coverage will be on Rai 1.

The Section for Fundamental Questions of Evangelization in the World of the Dicastery for Evangelization, which has been asked by the Holy Father to oversee and promote the event, has made available online a free liturgical-pastoral aid designed to assist people in living the Word of God and the experience of prayer in a community setting, in the family and privately.

The text, available this year only in digital format, can be downloaded online in Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Polish, on the website www.evangelizatio.va  It offers ideas to encourage people to have a profound encounter with the Word of God in their community, in the family, and in daily life, and also includes articles, meditations, texts for adoration and pastoral suggestions.

During the celebrations to mark the Sunday of the Word, the Holy Father is expected to officially launch the Year of Prayer in preparation for the Jubilee Year of 2025. After having promoted reflection on the documents and study of the fruits of the Second Vatican Council in 2023, Pope Francis has asked that 2024 be dedicated, in the dioceses of the world, to the rediscovery of the centrality of prayer.