Adventist Representative Joins European-wide Prayer Gathering in Belgium
Keynotes highlighted Europe’s spiritual heritage and called attention to persecuted Christians and those affected by war.
Talivaldis Vilnis, tedNEWS, and ANNBelgiumDec 22, 2025, 6:30 AM
A Latvian delegation joined more than 700 participants at the 28th European Parliament Prayer Breakfast in Brussels, Belgium, from December 2 to 4, 2025, the largest gathering of Christian leaders and policymakers in Europe for prayer and reflection.
Talivaldis Vilnis attended as the sole representative of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Vilnis serves as Ministerial Association secretary of the Latvian Conference and Ministerial Association coordinator for the Baltic Union Conference, and organizers noted his involvement in Latvia’s prayer breakfast movement for more than two decades.
The event centred on the biblical verse of James 3:17, a passage organizers said shaped the program’s emphasis on prayer, dialogue, and reflection.
Among the keynote speakers was Sari Miriam Essayah, Finland’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, who spoke about the impact of Christ on society and referenced Europe’s Judeo-Christian foundations.
She emphasized that Christian witness is not measured by volume but by faithfulness, and highlighted the contrast between democracy’s majority rule and Christianity’s call for steadfast commitment.
His Serene Highness Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein urged participants to remember persecuted Christians worldwide and those suffering because of war and violence.
Organizers said the three-day gathering included opportunities for learning, fellowship, and engagement with the work of the European Parliament, and concluded with participants expressing gratitude for the program and the relationships formed during the event.
The original article was published on the Trans-European Division news site.
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