Ecumenical representatives attend anniversary Mass for Vatican II

11 Oct 2022

On Tuesday 11 October, Pope Francis presided over a special evening Mass to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. The Mass was celebrated in honour of the feast day of Pope Saint John XXIII, who convened the Council and led its opening session, and whose inaugural speech was read at the beginning of the ceremony. Many ecumenical partners and representatives of other Churches and Ecclesial Communities attended the Mass.

In his homily, the Holy Father reflected, “All of us are children of God, all brothers and sisters in the Church, all of us making up the Church, all of us. … May all of us increasingly “be one”, as Jesus prayed before sacrificing his life for us (cf. Jn 17:21).”

In particular, he remarked on the participation of ecumenical representatives at the Mass: “It is good that today, as during the Council, representatives of other Christian communities are present with us. Thank you! Thank you for being here, thank you for your presence!”