18th Inter-Christian Symposium in Thessaloniki

From 21 to 25 September 2026, the 18th Inter-Christian Symposium took place in Thessaloniki. This theological and spiritual conference is jointly organised by the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome and the Department of Theology of the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Symposia represent an initiative for theological and cultural dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Held every two years, alternately in Greece and Italy, they form part of the wider ecumenical movement and were among the earliest initiatives of their kind at the level of academic institutions.

The theme of this year's Symposium was “Christian Faith in a Multicultural Context, with Reference to the Franciscan Jubilee”. Catholic and Orthodox speakers addressed, among other topics, the unprecedented rise in violence manifested at interpersonal and social levels, as well as on transnational and global scales. They also reflected on the growth of religious fundamentalism, which has brought the reality of martyrdom into renewed focus, together with the hostility experienced by the Christian faith even in countries with a deeply rooted Christian tradition. These developments contribute to a sombre context that cannot leave either the Church or theology indifferent.

In his message of greeting to the participants, delivered in the form of a letter addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and conveyed by Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, Under-Secretary of the Dicastery, who attended the Symposium, Pope Leo XIV emphasised the significance of the chosen theme. He noted that “in contemporary society, the Christian faith no longer constitutes the sole cultural point of reference; this requires Churches and believers to rethink the way in which the Gospel is expressed and witnessed.”