Greeting from DPCU to the Council Meeting of the Lutheran World Federation

From 12 to 16 June 2025, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the motto ‘Be my witnesses’ (Acts 1:8).

Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU), sent a greeting [DE - EN], which was read by Mons. Massimo Catterin, Chargé d'affaires at the Nunciature in Addis Ababa. Cardinal Koch expressed his gratitude for the ecumenical communion and presence in commemoration of Pope Francis and on the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.

With regard to the current 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, he said: "This event can inspire us to renew and deepen our confession of Christ as our Lord and God in ecumenical commitment." At the same time, he emphasised the importance of the Confessio Augustana as a "document of common witness" in view of its upcoming 500th anniversary in 2030: "After all, the original aim was to bear witness together in one church, free from the wounds of later Lutheran-Catholic history of divisions. I hope that, in the light of a pre-confessional interpretation of the Confessio Augustana, we will succeed in rediscovering and honouring this ecumenical potential together."

The 48 members of the Council represent the seven regions of the LWF, which is a worldwide "communion of churches".

_{Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert}