South Sudan Marks 70 Years With 70 Days of Prayer

(Juba) – The South Sudan Council of Churches has called for 70 days of nationwide prayer in a renewed effort to promote peace across the country. The initiative marks the 70 years since a major uprising that began the process of decolonization in the region, years that, for many South Sudanese, have rarely included stability or sustained peace.

The appeal, made by Rev. Tut Kony Nyang Kon, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches and a minister in the South Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church, encourages people to focus their prayers on seven key areas: family, church, governance, economy, education, media (including arts and entertainment), and health.

“Pray at home, in local churches, and on all occasions, including any platform, whenever it is possible,” Rev. Kon urged.

The country continues to suffer from widespread insecurity. Armed conflict and political instability have left millions of children malnourished and deepened a long-standing food crisis. According to Christian Aid, more than seven million people—about half of South Sudan’s population—face hunger and food insecurity. Over two million people have been displaced from their homes.

This call to prayer follows a significant moment in February 2023, when Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland made a joint Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage to South Sudan. That visit was a sign of unity among Christian communities, who continue to work together as witnesses of faith and reconciliation.

Rev. Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was part of that 2023 delegation. Reflecting on the new prayer initiative, she said, “I hope the 70 days of prayer will help change the situation in South Sudan. The people need stability and peace to flourish in their homes, on their lands, in their schools.”

She encouraged members of the Church of Scotland to keep the people and churches of South Sudan in their prayers during the 70 days and beyond. In a time of extreme hardship and violence, she stressed the need for unity among all groups and leaders to continue working “tirelessly, relentlessly, for peace and the promise of hope.”

Rev. Smith recalled the words of the late Pope Francis, spoken during the peace pilgrimage: “No more of this!”—a reference to Jesus’s rebuke in the Gospel of Luke (22:51). She emphasized the need to leave war behind and seek a new chapter of peace.

Christian Aid has been running projects across South Sudan, where conflict has had particularly severe effects on women and children. The charity notes that peace and reconciliation provide the conditions needed for communities to thrive and reduce violence against women and girls.

Rev. Tut Kon also pointed to the growing violence between leadership factions as South Sudan prepares for expected national elections in the coming year. He cited the biblical book of Jeremiah, where God promises to restore His people after a long period of suffering: “When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place.”

The 70 day prayer initiative officially began on 7 June in South Sudan, but the Council of Churches encourages people everywhere to begin praying at any time.

Photo: The Church of Scotland