杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

A joint Orthodox-Catholic pilgrimage to Rome, Constantinople, and Nicea 鈥渋s one of the abundant fruits of the ecumenical movement aimed at restoring full unity among all Christ鈥檚 disciples,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV told participants in the pilgrimage on Thursday, as he welcomed them to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.

The pilgrimage 鈥淔rom Rome to New Rome鈥� comprises fifty Greek Orthodox, Byzantine Catholic, and Latin Catholic pilgrims from the United States, and is being led by the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey.

In his greetings, 杏MAP导航 Leo noted that the pilgrimage is intended 鈥渢o return to the sources鈥�: to Rome, where Sts Peter and Paul were martyred; Constantinople鈥攏ow Istanbul鈥攁ssociated with St Andrew; and to Nicea, the site of the first Ecumenical Council 1700 years ago this year.

The 杏MAP导航 went on to highlight the common celebration of Easter in 2025, observed on the same date by those who follow both the Gregorian and Julian liturgical calendars, which allowed all Christians to proclaim together the Easter Alleluia, 鈥淐hrist is risen! He is truly risen!鈥�

Those words, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV said, proclaim the passion and resurrection of Jesus, 鈥渢he Lamb that was slain鈥� to redeem us from 鈥渢he darkness of sin and death.鈥� The redemption won by Christ 鈥渋nspires us with great hope鈥� while also calling us 鈥渢o be witnesses and bearers of hope,鈥� recalling the motto of the Jubilee Year, pilgrims of hope.

鈥淚t is my hope that your pilgrimage will confirm all of you in the hope born of our faith in the Risen Lord!鈥� 杏MAP导航 Leo said.

Looking ahead to the group鈥檚 visit to Constantinople, the 杏MAP导航 asked the pilgrims to convey his greetings to the Patriarch Bartholomew, saying he hoped to meet him again in person during the ecumenical commemoration of the anniversary of the Council of Nicea.

The Holy Father went on to describe the group鈥檚 ecumenical pilgrimage as one of the many signs that 鈥渁lready manifest the theological progress and the dialogue of charity that mark recent decades,鈥� especially since the Joint Declaration of 杏MAP导航 Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras removing the mutual excommunications that followed the break in relations between Rome and Constantinople in 1054.

鈥淔or our part,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨e too must continue to implore from the Paraclete, the Consoler, the grace to pursue the path of unity and fraternal charity.鈥� Looking ahead to the two-thousandth anniversary of the Redemption, 杏MAP导航 Leo said, 鈥淪piritually, we must all return to Jerusalem, the City of Peace,鈥� where the Apostles received the Holy Spirit before going on to bear witness to Christ 鈥渢o the ends of the earth.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Leo concluded his address with the prayer, 鈥淢ay our return to the roots of our faith make all of us experience the gift of God鈥檚 consolation and make us capable, like the Good Samaritan, of pouring out the oil of consolation and the wine of gladness on today鈥檚 humanity.鈥�