LÉON XIV AU PATRIARCAT ŒCUMÉNIQUE DE CONSTANTINOPLE POUR LA FÊTE DES SAINTS PIERRE ET PAUL

Your Eminence, dear brothers in Christ, I am very happy to meet you, after having celebrated together yesterday the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, patrons of this Church in Rome. Your presence among us expresses the fraternal closeness of our sister Church in Constantinople and of its pastor and guide, His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch. I am deeply grateful to him, as well as to all the members of the Holy Synod, for having wished to send you to Rome to continue the traditional exchange of visits on the occasion of the feasts of the patron saints of our respective Churches. In this regard, I have a vivid memory of my participation in the celebration of Saint Andrew in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George at the Phanar on November 30th. I recall with joy and gratitude the meetings I had with His Holiness Bartholomew, during which we were able to deepen our mutual friendship and share our views on many issues, especially the common desire to progress on the path toward full unity among all Christians. In this light, the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, held on the eve of the Feast of Saint Andrew in İznik, at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew and in the presence of representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities, was an eloquent testimony to the communion that already exists among all who share faith in God, Father of all mankind, and confess the Lord and Son of God Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who inspires us and leads us to the fullness of truth and unity. In light of this commemorative event, it became clear that the Nicene Creed must be the foundation and benchmark of this process, offering the model of true unity in legitimate diversity: Unity in the Trinity, Trinity in Unity (cf. Apostolic Letter In unitate fidei, no. 12). May the path to the celebration of the second millennium of the Redemption in 2033 be a journey of union among all the Christian denominations of the world, rediscovering the gift and the call to be witnesses of the Risen Lord. In an age marked by wars and increasing polarization, as well as by cultural and social divisions, Christians, reconciled with one another and united in the profession of the one faith, are called to be a credible sign of peace, contributing decisively to the commitment of all men and women of goodwill to this cause. Indeed, in the current situation, it is not only the credibility of the Christian message that is at stake, but the very future of humanity. The need for greater collaboration among Christians in the face of current challenges, such as peace, the proper use of new technologies, and the safeguarding of creation, stems from the Gospel of Jesus Christ himself: indeed, responsibility for the life and dignity of every human being, beginning with the least and those in need, is the criterion that determines our present and eternal destiny (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Your Eminence, dear brothers, I wholeheartedly renew my gratitude for your visit, as well as for your personal commitment and that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to promoting the holy cause of Christian unity. I assure you of my prayers, through the intercession of the holy apostles Peter and Andrew, brothers in body and in faith, and I ask God our Father to always accompany you with his blessing. THANKS!