Showing posts with label Catholic-Orthodox unity. Show all posts

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Pope Leo XIV meets with the Orthodox committed to restoring full communion

Pope

Pope reaffirms commitment to full communion with Orthodox Church

Addressing a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV reiterates his commitment to respectful dialogue and collaboration aimed at restoring full visible communion.

By Linda Bordoni

Meeting a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to the path of reconciliation and unity with the Orthodox Church.

During the audience that marked the first such encounter since the beginning of his pontificate, he reflected on the “profound communion already existing between us,” and noted that the traditional exchange of delegations for the respective feasts of the Apostles Peter and Andrew is “a reflection of the fraternal bond that united the Apostles Peter and Andrew.”

Milestones of ecumenism

Tracing the steps of rapprochement between Rome and Constantinople, Pope Leo recalled with gratitude the “courageous and farsighted” efforts of Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, whose historic meeting in 1964 set the foundations for modern ecumenical dialogue. He noted that their successors have “pursued with conviction the same path of reconciliation,” highlighting in particular the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the funeral of Pope Francis and again at the Mass inaugurating his own pontificate.

“I assure you of my desire to persevere in the effort to restore full visible communion between our Churches,” he said, and he underlined that such unity “can only come about, with God’s help, through a continued commitment to respectful listening and fraternal dialogue.”

Open to collaboration

Pope Leo expressed his openness to ideas and collaboration, stating: “I am open to any suggestions that you may offer in this regard, always in consultation with my brother Bishops of the Catholic Church who… share with me the responsibility for the complete and visible unity of the Church.”

Concluding his address, the Pope offered heartfelt thanks for the delegation’s presence in Rome and asked them to convey his greetings and gratitude to Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Synod.

Entrusting their shared journey to the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, Saint Andrew, and the Holy Mother of God, he prayed that “they may accompany and sustain us in our efforts in the service of the Gospel.”

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Pope Leo XIV prays for victims of Syria church bombing; expresses solidarity with all Middle Eastern Churches

Pope

Pope Leo to Christians in Middle East: ‘The whole Church stands with you’

Pope Leo XIV expresses his closeness with the Christians of the Middle East and calls once again for the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to be chosen.

By Kielce Gussie

During his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV remembered the “vile terrorist attack” on the Mar Elias church in Damascus, Syria on June 22. He entrusted the victims to God’s mercy and offered his continued prayers for those who were wounded and their families.

Turning to all Christians in the Middle East, the Pope expressed his solidarity with them. “I am close to you, and the whole Church stands with you.” He argued this recent attack highlights “the deep fragility” that Syria continues to live through after years of instability and violence.

Pope Leo called on the international community to “not turn its gaze away from this country.” Rather, he continued, it must offer support “through acts of solidarity and a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation.”

Let diplomacy be chosen

The Pope also shared that he continues to closely and hopefully follow the situation in Iran, Israel, and Palestine.

He once again called for an end to violence in the region and reiterated the need for peace, referencing the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Members of the clergy attend the funeral of victims of the suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church

Pope Leo expressed his desire that the prophet's voice ring out and that “the wounds caused by the bloody events of recent days be healed.”

Before closing his remarks, he pushed for the rejection of domination and revenge to be seen as the options. Instead, he encouraged everyone to chose “the path of dialogue, diplomacy, and peace be chosen with determination.”

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Prayers continue for the victims of the devastating church bombing in Damascus, Syria.

Church

Damascus church bombing: ‘There is no justification’

Following the bombing of the St. Elias Church in Damascus, Syria, the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries in Holy Land issues a statement condemning the violence and calling for protection of Christians.

By Kielce Gussie

Following the suicide bombing of St. Elias Church in Damascus—which killed 25 people and injured 63 others—the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a statement expressing its “profound shock and deep revulsion.”

An act of unspeakable evil

The Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries in Holy Land (ACOHL) brings together the Bishops/Eparchs/Exarchs of the Catholic Church holding jurisdiction over the territory of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus.

“There is no justification—religious, moral, or rational—for the slaughter of innocents, least of all in a sacred space,” the ACOHL statement continued. The Assembly argued that claiming faith as the reason to justify this violence “is a grave perversion of all that is holy.”

It is an act of “unspeakable evil—a crime against humanity and a sin before God.”

Referencing the Pope Francis-signed Document on Human Fraternity (Abu Dhabi, 2019), the Assembly highlighted that this attack violated the right to worship in peace and safety:

“The protection of places of worship—synagogues, churches and mosques—is a duty guaranteed by religions, human values, laws and international agreements. Every attempt to attack places of worship or threaten them by violent assaults, bombings or destruction, is a deviation from the teachings of religions.”

May they live in peace

Moreover, the Assembly extended its condolences to the Greek Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, condemning the “barbaric act” and rejecting “ideologies that seek to justify violence in the name of religion.”

Expressing their solidarity with all the Christian communities in Syria who have been living for years with persecution, the statement offered prayers for the victims, healing for the wounded, and comfort for the families affected.

People attend a mass inside Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus that was damaged following the suicide bombing on Sunday, in Damascus

In addition, the Assembly urged the Syrian authorities to work to ensure the protection and freedom of Christians around the country, so “that they may live in safety and contribute fully to the life of their homeland.”

Reflecting on Pope Leo XIV’s words from his Angelus address on June 22, the statement ended, praying that “the swamps of hatred and fanaticism be decisively eradicated so that the peoples of the Middle East—and beloved Syria in particular—may finally live in peace, dignity, and shared humanity.”

Monday, March 17, 2025

Bartholomew I is hopeful that Orthodox and Catholic can progress towards Christian unity

Patriarch Bartholomew says 1054 church division ‘not insurmountable’ as Nicaea anniversary nears

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople during an audience at the Patriarchal headquarters in Istanbul with the German Association of the Holy Land, March 12, 2025. | Credit: Martin Rothweiler/EWTN Germany

By AC Wimmer

CNA Newsroom, Mar 15, 2025 / 08:00 am

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople on Wednesday offered a hopeful historical assessment of the traditional 1054 date for the “Great Schism” between Rome and Constantinople, suggesting that tensions developed gradually over time and “are not insurmountable.”

“Of course, problems have accumulated over a thousand years. But we are full of hope that they will be resolved in a few years,” the patriarch emphasized during an audience in Istanbul on March 12 with a pilgrimage group from the German Association of the Holy Land.

The honorary head of worldwide Orthodoxy made these comments in the presence of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Emeritus Gregory III Laham, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

The pilgrimage preceded the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea held in 325 A.D.

Rather than a sudden break in 1054 — the traditional date of the separation between the Orthodox and Catholic churches — Patriarch Bartholomew suggested these tensions gradually strengthened over time.

The potential for a historic breakthrough in ecumenical relations has been building for some time. In January, during vespers concluding the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis highlighted the “providential” timing of Easter falling on the same date in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars this year.

“Let us rediscover the common roots of the faith,” the pontiff urged. “Let us preserve unity!”

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, has long supported efforts toward a common Easter date. In 2021, Koch welcomed a suggestion that the year 2025 would be an ideal time to introduce a calendar reform allowing both Eastern and Western Christians to celebrate Easter together.

“It will not be easy to agree on a common Easter date, but it is worth working for it,” Koch stated at the time, adding that the initiative was “very dear to Pope Francis and also to the Coptic Pope Tawadros.”

Calendar considerations

The First Council of Nicaea, held in 325, decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the beginning of spring, making the earliest possible date March 22 and the latest possible April 25.

Today, Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to calculate the Easter date instead of the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in 1582 and is used by most of the world. The Julian calendar calculates a slightly longer year and is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, resulting in different dates for Easter celebrations most years.

One possible obstacle to a universal agreement could be ongoing tensions between different churches. In 2018, the Russian Orthodox Church severed ties to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople after Patriarch Bartholomew confirmed his intention to recognize the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

During a meeting with the International Theological Commission at the Vatican in November 2024, Pope Francis confirmed his intention to travel to Turkey in May 2025 to mark this significant anniversary.

“I plan to go there,” Pope Francis stated, noting that the Council of Nicaea “constitutes a milestone in the journey of the Church and also of all humanity, because faith in Jesus, the Son of God made flesh for us and for our salvation, was formulated and professed as a light that illuminates the meaning of reality and the destiny of all history.”

However, the pope’s health situation may affect the planned pilgrimage to modern-day Turkey, as his ongoing hospitalization has raised questions about his ability to undertake the journey.

Monday, December 2, 2024

Pope Francis wants Catholics and Orthodox to jointly celebrate the anniversary of the Council of Nicea

A path toward unity: Pope Francis proposes joint Catholic-Orthodox celebration of Nicaea anniversary

Pope Francis meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the Vatican on Oct. 4, 2021. | Credit: Vatican Media

By AC Wimmer

Rome Newsroom, Nov 30, 2024

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 for the patronal feast of the Orthodox Church.

“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 who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Francis wrote in his message dated Nov. 30.

Reflecting on six decades of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue while looking ahead to future possibilities for unity, the pope acknowledged the progress made since Vatican II’s Unitatis Redintegratio decree marked the Catholic Church’s official entry into the ecumenical movement 60 years ago.

Speaking to EWTN News about this anniversary on Nov. 21, Koch emphasized that unity efforts must focus on “the innermost 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 Catholic, Lutheran, or Anglican but because they are Christians.”

Building peace in a time of war

While celebrating the “renewed fraternity” achieved since Vatican II, Pope Francis noted in his message that full communion, particularly sharing “the one Eucharistic chalice,” remains an unfulfilled goal.

In a pointed observation about contemporary global tensions, the pontiff connected ecumenical efforts to peace-building.

“The fraternity 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 October’s Synod on Synodality.

The traditional exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople occurs twice yearly, with Catholic representatives traveling to Istanbul for St. Andrew’s feast on Nov. 30 and Orthodox delegates visiting Rome for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29.

Koch led this year’s Vatican delegation. He was accompanied by Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the dicastery; Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, undersecretary; and Archbishop Marek Solczyński, apostolic nuncio to Turkey.

The delegation participated in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, Phanar, and held discussions with the synodal commission charged with relations with the Catholic Church.

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