Vatican spokesman names main obstacle to unity with the Orthodox Church

The representative of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Catholic priest Giacinto Destivel, said that true unity between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches can be achieved solely on the basis of a common faith, not compromise. According to him, the main obstacle to full unity remains the question of the primacy and infallibility of the pope.

Dominican Giacinto Destivel emphasized that while good relations with the Orthodox are the fruit of dialogue, «true unity cannot be built on compromise, it is achieved solely on the basis of truth and the common faith professed by both sides.»

The theologian explained that full Christian unity includes three key dimensions: faith, sacraments and service. He expressed confidence that Catholics and Orthodox already share a common faith, enshrined in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and have reached mutual understanding on the issue of the sacraments.

The focus of the dialog is now on the structure of the Church. «It is the question of the ministries, and more specifically the primacy and infallibility of the pope, that remains the main obstacle to full unity,» Destivel noted.

Nevertheless, work in this direction continues. An important document on synodality and primacy was published in 2023, and texts on papal infallibility and the divergence in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, known as Filioque, are currently being prepared. Destivel also added that the dialog being conducted by the Patriarchate of Constantinople affects the interests of all Local Orthodox Churches.

Recall, earlier we reported that Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople held a joint ecumenical ceremony in Nicea (modern Iznik, Turkey), timed to coincide with 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 common faith, and a call for peace and dialog in today’s world.»