Pope Francis has proposed celebrating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea together with Orthodox leaders, in a personal letter to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
The letter, published by the Vatican on Saturday, was delivered by Cardinal Kurt Koch, who heads the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, during a visit to Istanbul (Turkey) for the patronal feast of the Orthodox Church.
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“The now imminent 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea will be another opportunity to bear witness to the growing communion that already exists among all those who are baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” Francis wrote in his message. on November 30.
Reflecting on six decades of dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox and looking toward future possibilities for unity, the Pope recognized the progress made since the decree Reintegration of the unit The Second Vatican Council marked the official entry of the Catholic Church into the ecumenical movement, 60 years ago.
Speaking to EWTN News about this anniversary on November 21, Cardinal Koch emphasized that unity efforts must focus on “the most intimate center of self-revelation in Jesus Christ.”
The Swiss cardinal also highlighted what he called an “ecumenism of blood,” noting that “Christians are not persecuted because they are Catholics, Lutherans or Anglicans, but because they are Christians.”
Building peace in times of war
Celebrating the “renewed fraternity” achieved since the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis noted in his message that full communion, in particular sharing “the one Eucharistic chalice,” remains an unfulfilled goal.
In a sharp observation on contemporary global tensions, the Pontiff linked ecumenical efforts to peacebuilding.
“The brotherhood lived and the witness given by Christians will also be a message for our world plagued by war and violence,” he wrote, specifically mentioning Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon.
The Pope also highlighted the recent participation of Orthodox representatives in the October Synod of Synodality.
The traditional exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople occurs twice a year, with Catholic representatives traveling to Istanbul for the Feast of St. Andrew on November 30, and Orthodox delegates visiting Rome for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. on June 29.
Cardinal Koch led this year’s Vatican delegation. He was accompanied by Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the Dicastery, Mons. Andrea Palmieri, undersecretary, and Archbishop Marek Solczyński, Apostolic Nuncio in Türkiye.
The delegation participated in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, Phanar, and held talks with the synodal commission in charge of relations with the Catholic Church.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Anian Christoph Wimmer
Anian Christoph Wimmer, a multilingual Australian with Bavarian roots, is the editor-in-chief of CNA Deutsch. He held senior positions at Australia’s SBS and was editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. Graduated in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer was on the jury for the Catholic Media Award of the German Bishops’ Conference and was an honorary researcher in Communications at the University of Melbourne. He has served on the Board of Directors of Caritas in Munich.