Churches across the UK and around the world are marking this year’s Season of Creation with the theme of “Living Water,” after a summer of record-breaking heat and drought.

The Church of England has now designated the first Sunday of September as a new Festival of Creation in Christ, aligning with the wider ecumenical Season of Creation observed from 1 September to 4 October, culminating with the Feast of Francis of Assisi. In the Catholic Church, September 1st marks the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which launches a period of prayer and action for the environment

It comes as provisional Met Office figures indicate Britain has experienced its hottest summer since records began, with extreme heat and drought placing new pressure on infrastructure, food production, and the emergency services tackling wildfires.

The agency reports that Britain’s cereal harvest is expected to be the lowest since comparable records began in 1984, as man-made climate change increases the likelihood of such extreme weather events.

This year’s theme, “Living Water,” draws inspiration from Ezekiel 47:9: “Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.” 

Pope Leo emphasised the devastating link between armed conflict and environmental degradation, in his prayer for the Care of Creation. The pontiff warned that “war creates wounds that damage the whole fabric of life," with the pollution from war further exacerbating environmental inequality on the world's poorest communities.