Pope John Paul II today called for Christians to overcome the “painful trial” of their divisions as the faithful grappled with such issues as the election of a gay Episcopal bishop and hostility between Catholic and Orthodox faithful in eastern Europe.

Greeting pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, John Paul noted today was the start of an annual week of prayer dedicated to Christian unity.

“During the next eight days, in every part of the world, Christians of different confessions and traditions will gather to pray intensely the Lord strengthens the common commitment for their full unity,” John Paul said.

This year’s theme – peace – was chosen by churches in the Middle East.

“In promoting his peace, Christ assures his disciples support in their trials. And isn’t the lasting division among Christian perhaps a painful trial?” said the pope, who has made efforts to encourage unity among Christians a goal of his papacy.

He said Christians felt the need to pray for help “to overcome the temptation of discouragement along the difficult path which led to full communion”.

“In a world craving for peace, it is in fact urgent that Christian communities announce the Gospel in a united way,” John Paul said.

The election last year of the first openly gay bishop in the US Episcopal Church sparked divisions among Anglicans and complicated efforts aimed at unifying the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.

The bishop’s ordination also caused tensions between Orthodox and Anglican faithful.

Further frustration for the pope is fuelled by persistent tensions between Roman Catholics and Orthodox who have been arguing over property interests since the collapse of Soviet bloc communism. Orthodox also accuses the Vatican of aggressively seeking converts in the region.

The Vatican has insisted it is only looking out for the interests of the Catholic minority in much of the area. But the sour climate has made it impossible for John Paul to realise his aspiration of visiting Russia, one of the few major countries that has eluded the pontiff in 25 years of global travel during his papacy.