Pope Francis confirms his desire to visit Nicaea in 2025

Pope Francis confirmed his desire to visit Nicaea, now Iznik in Turkey, in 2025 to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council in the history of the Church, celebrated in the year 325.

During an audience held this morning in the Vatican with the members of the International Theological Commission participating in its plenary session, the Pontiff stated that he plans to travel to Turkey within the framework of the Jubilee Year.

It is not the first time that he has expressed this intention. Last June, the Holy Father assured that it is a trip that he wants to make “from the heart” during an audience with the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in which Patriarch Bartholomew participated, who had invited the Pontiff to Nicaea.

The first Ecumenical Council in history took place from May 20 to July 25, 325 in Nicaea and was attended by bishops from all regions where there were Christians.

This event was celebrated to achieve the unity of the Church, shaken by the preaching of Arius, a priest who denied the true divinity of Jesus Christ. From this event arose what is known as I believe Nicene-Constantinopolitana dogmatic declaration of the contents of the Christian faith that reflected the faith received and accepted by Christians from the beginning.

In his speech this morning, the Holy Father underlined the relevance of this historic event, which “constitutes a foundation in the path of the Church and of all humanity.”

He added that faith in Jesus “as the Son of God made flesh for us men and for our salvation,” was formulated at the Council of Nicaea “as a light that illuminates the meaning of reality and the destiny of all history.”

He also recalled that in Nicaea it was declared that the Son is of the same substance as the Father, a truth that reveals something essential: “In Jesus we can know the face of God and, at the same time, the face of man, discovering ourselves sons in the Son.” and brothers among us.”

This fraternity, founded on Christ, becomes, according to the Pontiff, “an essential ethical task” for believers.

Pope Francis also expressed his gratitude to the theologians of the Commission for the work carried out during their Plenary Assembly to deepen the meaning of the faith professed at Nicaea.

The document prepared will be, according to the Holy Father, “very valuable to nourish and deepen the faith of believers and, based on the figure of Jesus, offer useful perspectives and reflections for a new cultural and social paradigm, inspired precisely by humanity.” of Christ.”

“In a currently complex and often polarized world, tragically marked by conflict and violence, the love of God that is revealed in Christ and given to us in the Spirit becomes a call for all,” he added.

For the Pontiff, “it is an exhortation to learn to walk in fraternity and to be builders of justice and peace. Only in this way can we spread seeds of hope where we live.”

Pope Francis also focused his attention on the recent XVI Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, urging theologians to take “a courageous step” and develop a “theology of synodality”:

“A theological reflection that helps, encourages and accompanies the synodal process, in favor of a new missionary stage, more creative and bold, that is inspired by the kerygma and involve all members of the Church,” said the Holy Father.

Likewise, he invited them to “put Christ back in the center” to revive hope, a task to which theology is called, “carrying out constant and wise work, in dialogue with all other knowledge.”