OCU, UGCC, and RCC gather for ecumenical conference in Odesa
The conference seeks to reflect on how the struggle against Arianism and the role of Emperor Constantine can be reinterpreted in today’s Ukraine.
In Odesa, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), and the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) gathered for an ecumenical conference dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, reports the UGCC website.
On May 14-15, Odesa is hosting a scholarly-theological conference titled: "1700 Years after the First Ecumenical Council: Lessons from the Past and Significance for the Ukrainian Churches Today."
The event is organized by the UGCC’s Commission for Interfaith and Interreligious Relations in cooperation with the Institute of Ecumenical Studies of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU).
The conference was opened by the chairman of the commission, Ihor Shaban, who noted in his welcome address: “Today, just as 1700 years ago, the Church faces challenges of unity, truth, and faithfulness to apostolic teaching. The example of the Council of Nicaea reminds us that unity is not simply a compromise, but the fruit of a shared search for truth in Christ.”
Presentations by participants focus on the historical context of the Council of Nicaea in 325, its decisions (including the Nicene Creed), the struggle against Arianism, the role of Emperor Constantine, and the significance of conciliarity for contemporary ecclesiology. Particular attention is given to how these theological principles can be applied in today’s interchurch dialogue in Ukraine.
Roman Nazarenko, head of the Ecumenical Commission of the UGCC Exarchate of Odesa, noted, “The Council of Nicaea not only defined the foundations of the faith but also established the tradition of universal discussion of Church matters. Today, this model of dialogue is especially important for Ukrainian Christianity, which is undergoing transformation and seeking new forms of unity.”
As previously reported by the UOJ, Ukrainian Greek Catholics wish to be a catalyst for ecumenism.
