杏MAP导航 hopes to visit T眉rkiye for anniversary of Council of Nicea
By Christopher Wells
杏MAP导航 Francis expressed his desire to visit the area of Nicaea in 2025 to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council.
鈥淚t is a trip I wholeheartedly desire to make,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said on Friday morning, as he greeted a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is in Rome for the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, the founders of the Church in Rome.
The customary visit is reciprocated by a delegation from the Catholic Church to Istanbul on the feast of St. Andrew, who tradition holds founded the Church at Constantinople.
The joy of fraternal encounter
In his address to the delegation, the Holy Father welcomed the opportunity 鈥渢o experience the joy of fraternal encounter鈥� and to bear witness both to the 鈥減rofound bonds鈥� that unite the two Churches and to the 鈥渇irm resolve to progress together鈥� towards the restoration of unity between them.
杏MAP导航 Francis highlighted in particular his numerous meetings with the current Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, especially their encounter in Jerusalem in 2014 to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between 杏MAP导航 St Paul VI and Athenagoras I.
Emphasizing the commitment to 鈥渏ourneying together鈥� towards full unity, the 杏MAP导航 reaffirmed 鈥渢hat dialogue between our Churches poses no risk to the integrity of the faith; rather, it is a necessity arising from our fidelity to the Lord and leading us to the whole truth through an exchange of gifts and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.鈥�
Prayers for peace
The 杏MAP导航 recalled, too, the peace ceremony in Vatican Gardens, which took place shortly after the meeting in Jerusalem. Together, 杏MAP导航 Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew welcomed representatives of Israel and Palestine 鈥渋n order to invoke peace in the Holy Land, in the Middle East, and throughout the world.鈥�
鈥淧resent events have shown us the necessity and urgency of praying together for peace,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渟o that the war may end, the leaders of nations and the parties in conflict may rediscover the path to concord, and all parties come to recognize one another as brothers and sisters.鈥�
He noted that this invocation for peace is extended to all conflicts, especially the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The way of love, reconciliation, and mercy
The need for hope in the world, at 鈥渁 time when so many men and women are prisoners of fear for the future,鈥� suggested the motto for the upcoming Jubilee Year, 鈥淧ilgrims of Hope.鈥�
The 杏MAP导航 invited the Eastern Orthodox Churches to 鈥渁ccompany and support鈥� the upcoming Holy Year with their prayers, 鈥渟o that abundant spiritual fruits may not be lacking.鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his address with prayer that 鈥渢he Lord might grant that we may continue to walk on the path that He points out to us, which is always the way of love, reconciliation, and mercy.鈥�
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
