Pope shares his vision of unity with the Orthodox Church
According to the pontiff, the Council of Nicaea laid the foundation of Christian doctrine, and its Creed remains common to all Churches.
Pope Leo XIV published a new apostolic letter "In unitate fidei" ("In the Unity of Faith"), in which he outlined his understanding of the paths to restoring unity among Christian Churches.
The document was published a few days before the pontiff's visit to Turkey, where he, along with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, will visit Nicaea — the site of the First Ecumenical Council, whose 1700th anniversary is celebrated this year.
At the beginning of the ten-page text, the pope emphasizes, "In the unity of the faith proclaimed since the beginnings of the Church, Christians are called to journey together in unity, to cherish and share the gift they have received with love and joy."
He noted that the Council of Nicaea laid the foundation of Christian doctrine, and its Creed remains common to all Churches.
Leo XIV also fully supported the comprehensive document from the International Theological Commission "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Redeemer. 1700th Anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea," published in 2024 with the permission of Pope Francis.
In his exhortation, the pontiff reiterated that the Nicene Creed is "the heart of the Christian faith", uniting all disciples of Christ.
This text, he says, speaks not of a "distant and immovable God," but of the living, true God who "leads and accompanies them," as evidenced by the incarnation of the Son of God.
In the concluding part of the letter, the Pope outlines his vision for restoring unity among the Churches. He emphasizes that this does not mean a "a return to the ecumenism of the pre-divisions, nor a mutual recognition of the current status quo of the diversity of churches and ecclesial communities, but rather a future ecumenism of reconciliation on the path of dialogue".
According to him, the path to unity is "the ecumenism of the future," based on reconciliation, dialogue, sharing the gifts and spiritual treasures of different Christian traditions.
"Restoring unity among Christians does not impoverish us; on the contrary, it enriches us. This endeavor, much like in Nicaea, can only be achieved through a patient, lengthy, and potentially difficult path of listening and mutual openness," writes Pope Leo XIV.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the leaders of the OCU and UGCC held a joint requiem service.
