His Beatitude addresses participants of forum on First Ecumenical Council
Noting the positive role of Emperor Constantine in organizing the Council, the Primate of the UOC warned against the excessive merging of church and state power.
On May 17, 2025, within the framework of a scientific-theological round table dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine addressed a welcoming speech to the organizers and participants of the round table. In his message, the Primate emphasized the historical and spiritual significance of the Nicene Council for the entire fullness of the Church, the press service of the UOC reports.
«The Council in Nicaea, which gathered bishops from all over the Oikoumene in 325, was a response to the challenges of the time, primarily – to the heresy of Arius, which undermined the very foundation of our faith – the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ,» noted His Beatitude. He noted that it was at this Council that the faith in the Son of God as consubstantial with the Father was affirmed and the practice of conciliar theological reasoning was established – in the spirit of brotherly love and unanimity, guided by the Holy Spirit.
His Beatitude emphasized that the Nicene Council became not only a dogmatic benchmark but also a model of ecclesiastical conciliarity, where «truth was determined not by the authority of power, but by unanimity in the Holy Spirit,» as it is said in the Acts: «For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us» (Acts 15:28).
Particular attention was paid by Metropolitan Onuphry to the role of the state authority in organizing the Council, thanking the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great, who, striving for peace in the empire, initiated and supported this great event. However, the Primate also warned against excessive merging of church and state power: «In cooperating with the state, the Church must not lose its prophetic freedom, its calling to be the light of the world.»
He reminded the participants that theological and canonical issues should be resolved exclusively within the Church – through conciliar reasoning and prayerful guidance, not by political methods. Cooperation between the Church and the state is possible and necessary – in the areas of mercy, family protection, culture, and historical heritage – but it must be clearly limited to avoid substituting spiritual guidelines with external interests.
In conclusion, His Beatitude expressed hope that the anniversary forum would become a place for deep theological reflection, brotherly communication, and affirmation of the conciliar spirit: «May this round table become a platform for fruitful theological dialogue, inspired by Divine Revelation and Sacred Tradition in the spirit of brotherly unity in the bond of peace» (Eph. 4:3).
As reported by the UOJ, during the meeting of the Holy Synod on March 19, 2025, a decision was made to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The celebrations will take place on June 1, 2025, on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the I Ecumenical Council.
The First Ecumenical Council, held in 325 in the city of Nicaea (modern-day Turkey), was a landmark event in the history of Christianity, the press service of the UOC reminds. It adopted the Nicene Creed, which defined the foundations of Orthodox theology, and condemned the Arian heresy. The Council played a key role in shaping the Church's dogmatic teaching and strengthening the unity of Christians. In particular, the conciliar decisions established the principle for the entire Church of determining the day of Pascha celebration.
