Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Tuesday, 22 July 2025
Patriarchate of Constantinople
by Nikos TzoitisIstanbul (Agenzia Fides) – Christian unity is based on shared baptism. It is not uniformity, and it draws from the source of the one truth to be shared, that of the Gospel. With these words, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, welcomed on Sunday, July 20, a group of Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims heading to Nicaea (modern-day Iznik), led by Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, at the Church of St. George in Fanar, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In his address to the participants of the ecumenical pilgrimage, the “Primus inter pares” among the Primates of the Orthodox Churches also expressed strong words regarding the recent attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City.The pilgrimage also stopped in Rome and Castel Gandolfo, where the group was received in audience by Pope Leo XIV on July 17. In that audience, Pope Leo had given an intense speech on the loving discipleship of Christ as the sole source of Church unity.”It is very significant,” Patriarch Bartholomew told the group of pilgrims, “that you are walking on the same land where the bishops of the early Church gathered to contemplate the Mystery of Christ and to preserve communion among the Churches. Nicaea remains a symbol of the harmony and apostolic unity that we are called to renew today.””From ‘Ancient Rome’ to ‘New Rome’,” the Ecumenical Patriarch continued, “with this joy, we welcome you today in the holy and historic city of Constantinople – New Rome – as you continue your blessed pilgrimage. Your journey has led you from the tombs of Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome to the See of Saint Andrew in Constantinople, and then to the ancient city of Nicaea. This pilgrimage “is a visible testament to the Spirit working among us, guiding us towards reconciliation, understanding, and unity.”Bartholomew I, referring to the words addressed by the group of pilgrims by Leo XIV, stated that he shares with the Bishop of Rome “this holy desire for unity – a unity not based on uniformity, but on the common truth of the Gospel, mutual love, and our shared baptism into the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”The pilgrimage of the group from the United States coincides with the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, which affirmed Christ’s divinity and the unity of the Church around the confession of the true faith.”We rejoice in particular,” the Ecumenical Patriarch continued, “for the shared Easter celebration by Eastern and Western Christians this year. This shared proclamation of the Resurrection allows us to bear witness with one voice to the redeeming hope that overcomes sin, death, and division. It is a foretaste of the full communion that awaits us, not only for our Churches but for a world longing for peace, justice, and spiritual renewal.”The pilgrimage of the group from the United States, Bartholomew I emphasized, “also reminds us that the ecumenical path is not merely the end of a theological commitment, but a spiritual call. We must return to Jerusalem, to that upper room where the Holy Spirit descended and where fear was transformed into the courage of proclamation. In this pilgrimage of hope, may each of you be strengthened by the fire of Pentecost, bringing Christ to a world wounded by war, injustice, and despair.”Referring to the conflicts and wars that are bleeding the world, the Ecumenical Patriarch spoke eloquently about the recent attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic church in Gaza. “We deplore,” said Bartholomew I, “this terrible act which was not only against a place of worship but against a sacred space cherished deeply by the late Pope Francis, who maintained daily contact with the church’s priest even during his illness since the outbreak of the war. This,” continued the Ecumenical Patriarch, “was an attack not only on a place of worship but on a sanctuary where hundreds of people, regardless of their religion, found a home and refuge during this time of trial and tribulation.”For this reason, the Ecumenical Patriarch stressed, “I have asked Cardinal Tobin to convey our heartfelt condolences to our brother Pope Leo. Your Eminence, we ask you to assure His Holiness that we raise our voice with him for an immediate ceasefire and the end of this war, and together we pray to the Lord of Peace, for the repose of the innocent victims, the speedy recovery of the wounded, and comfort for their families.”Concluding his address, Bartholomew I wished the members of the group, “may your pilgrimage here to the Queen of Cities strengthen your faith, renew your hope, and foster your love for the Church and for others. We assure you of our prayers, blessings, and ongoing commitment to walk together, Orthodox and Catholic alike, as disciples of the Risen Lord. In this spirit,” added the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, “we are looking forward to our upcoming meeting with Pope Leo during the feast of Saint Andrew, founder and patron of the Church of Constantinople, continuing to implore the Holy Spirit to guide us to the day when we will gather again around the same altar, sharing the one Body and chalice of our Lord, the only Head of His Church, for whom He sacrificed Himself.”(Agenzia Fides, 22/7/2025)
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