By Awyetu Hope Asabe
The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, has called on government at all levels to promote policies that ensure universal access to safe, nourishing food and clean water.
In his homily to mark the 2026 Season of Creation, the cleric also urged churches, mosques and other stakeholders to support greening projects and equip communities to grow their own food, while denouncing pollution in all forms.
Speaking within the context of the 2026 Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, Archbishop Martins said the faithful must emulate the saint’s virtues of poverty, humility, love and peace. He further called on governments, industries, farmers and local authorities to protect water sources and ensure responsible waste disposal.
St. Francis, described as the world’s foremost ecologist, is honoured every October 4. The Season of Creation runs from September 1, the World Day of Prayer for Creation, to October 4, marking 800 years since the saint’s passing. The Jubilee Year runs from January 1, 2026 to January 2027.
Pope Leo XIV also stressed that St. Francis’s message of peace, poverty, humility and care for the environment remains relevant in a divided world. Catholics worldwide, he said, must move beyond words and use the saint’s example to address division, materialism and the absence of peace.
The messages of both Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Martins underscore the need for Catholics, Christians and all people of goodwill to care for the environment and respect nature. The Season of Creation is part of the Laudato Si’ programme, which also features the prayer “for our Earth” from Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical.
In his message, Archbishop Martins said:
“Dear brothers and sisters, men and women of goodwill, lovers of God’s creation, we rejoice in Season of Creation 2026. This year marks the fifth edition. Every year, Christians around the world are invited to pause and remember that creation is a gift of God and we are called to take care of it.
“Christians across denominations come together in a worldwide ecumenical celebration dedicated to prayer, reflection, and action for the earth, our common home. The Season of Creation invites us to see the earth not simply as a space we inhabit, but as a sacred gift to which we are deeply connected.”
He added: “This vision is well expressed in Laudato Si’, which calls us to recognise that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are inseparable. It is within this spirit of prayer, communion and ecological conversion that we enter the 2026 Season of Creation with the theme, _Immersion in Living Water_. The logo symbolises renewal and new life.
“We must advocate for universal access to clean water and proper sanitation in our communities, homes, schools, healthcare facilities, churches and mosques. Parents, catechists, clerics and faith communities should foster environmental education that combines scientific knowledge with ethics and spiritual formation.
“Through contemplation of God’s creation, we are called to move from domination of the earth to respect and humility. We must shift from mindless exploitation to care, and from short-term gain to long-term flourishing by rethinking our values, economic systems and priorities.
“Our own flourishing is intertwined with the healing of creation. Becoming part of the river, let us overcome our fears and step into the waters of God’s love. Let us become part of the river of transformation, bringing healing and renewal to creation and hope to our common home.”
“Dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to become a blessing to God’s beautiful work of creation. Respect your environment, hold yourself accountable for the sustenance of the earth, and be a true steward of creation. I wish you all a happy 2026 Season of Creation,” he concluded.
Pope Leo XIV concluded: “Let us all become Living Waters of God’s Peace, refreshing our wounded world.”
