Pope Leo XIV receives participants of the 'Nicaea and the Church of the Third Millennium' symposium

On Saturday 7 June, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with the participants of the ecumenical symposium "Nicaea and the Church of the Third Millennium: Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity", organised by the Œcumenicum and the IOTA from 4 to 7 June at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

In his address, the Holy Father emphasised that the Council of Nicaea “is not merely an event of the past, but a compass that must continue to guide us towards the full visible unity of Christians” and referred to the three themes of the symposium. Regarding the faith of Nicaea, he expressed his conviction that 'by returning to the Council of Nicaea and drawing together from this common source, we will be able to see the points that still separate us in a different light'. Regarding synodality, Pope Leo referred to the recent synod and welcomed the contribution of the fraternal delegates, describing it as “a valuable stimulus for further reflection on the nature and practice of synodality”, and expressed hope that “ecumenical synodal practices” would be developed. Finally, regarding the date of Easter, the Holy Father reaffirmed “the Catholic Church's openness to pursuing an ecumenical solution that would allow for a common celebration of the Lord's resurrection”.

In conclusion, Pope Leo quoted the Prayer for Unity by Father Paul Couturier to emphasise that unity will not be achieved through a preconceived model: "Rather, unity will be a gift received 'as Christ wills and by the means that he wills'."

Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, who held the symposium under his patronage, also attended the audience.