Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council with Catholics, Protestants and Monophysites

Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople held a joint ecumenical ceremony in Nicea (modern-day Iznik, Turkey) to mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. The event, which brought together the heads of various Christian denominations, was «a powerful symbol of unity, a reaffirmation of a common faith, and a call for peace and dialog in today’s world.»

According to Orthodox Times, the celebrations were held at an archaeological site on the shores of Lake Nicaea, where the ruins of a fourth-century basilica were discovered a decade ago. Scholars believe that this is the site where the First Ecumenical Council was held in 325 AD. The ceremony was of an emphatically ecumenical nature: Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew were joined by the heads of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Syriac, Coptic and Armenian Churches, as well as representatives of Protestant and Anglican communities.

In his address, Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that this gathering is not just a tribute to historical memory, but a living testimony of faith. «We are not gathered here to simply remember the past. We are here to bear living witness to the same faith expressed by the Fathers of Nicaea,» he said. The patriarch noted that the very name of the city «Nicea» comes from the Greek word for victory (νίκη), contrasting the secular understanding of victory through strength and domination with the Christian one symbolized by the Cross. He called the Nicene Creed «the seed of all Christian existence» and concluded his speech with a fervent call for Christian unity.

Pope Leo XIV, for his part, thanked Patriarch Bartholomew for his «great wisdom and foresight» in organizing the joint celebration. He noted that the Council of Nicaea even today calls every Christian to ask the question of who Jesus Christ is for him, warning against reducing His image to a «charismatic leader or superman». The Pontiff recalled that the Council affirmed the divinity of Christ, and it is the Nicene Creed that is «the deep bond that already unites all Christians.» The Pope also emphasized the urgent need for Christian unity in a world full of violence and strongly condemned the use of religion to justify wars and fanaticism.

Both spiritual leaders expressed hope that the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea would bear «abundant fruits of reconciliation, unity and peace.» Their joint speech ended with a proclamation for Christians around the world on the need to overcome differences and together witness to their faith, seeking fraternal dialog and cooperation for the common good.

Recall, earlier we reported that Archimandrite of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Gerasimos Frangoulakis strongly criticized the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem for their refusal to participate in the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea. In his opinion, this absence, especially against the background of the expected presence of the Pope, is not just a formality, but a step that belittles the role of the ancient Patriarchates and their historical contribution.