In his message to members within the 2025 Ecumenical Week in Stockholm, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms that “in our world bearing deep scars of battle, inequality, environmental degradation, and a rising sense of religious disconnection,” it’s essential for Christians to proceed working and praying collectively.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“Could the Holy Spirit, who impressed the Council of Nicaea, and who continues to information us all, deepen your fellowship this week, and awaken recent hope for the unity which the Lord so ardently wishes amongst His followers,” Pope Leo XIV stated Friday in a message despatched to the members within the 2025 Ecumenical Week, happening this week within the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE MESSAGE HERE
The religion that continues to bind Christians collectively
The Pope recalled the Week marks the centenary of the 1925 Common Christian Convention on Life and Work, in addition to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, when, within the yr 325, Bishops from throughout the identified world gathered in Nicaea.
The Pope’s message was learn on the occasion by Archbishop Flavio Tempo, Secretary of the Dicastery for Selling Christian Unity.
In affirming the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Father recalled, they formulated our creedal statements that He’s “true God from true God” and “consubstantial” (homoousios) with the Father.
Thus, Pope Leo stated, “they articulated the religion that continues to bind Christians collectively.”
Archbishop Flavio Tempo learn the Pope’s message on the occasion
Early witness to a conviction
“That Council,” Pope Leo continued, “stood as a brave signal of unity amidst distinction – an early witness to the conviction that our shared confession can overcome division and foster communion.”
The Pope went on to watch {that a} related want animated the 1925 Convention in Stockholm, convened by the pioneer of the early ecumenical motion, Nathan Söderblom, then Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala. “Whereas the Catholic Church was not represented at that first gathering,” the Pope stated, “I can affirm, with humility and pleasure, that we stand with you in the present day as fellow disciples of Christ, recognizing that what unites us is much higher than what divides us.”
Ecumenical Week in Stockholm 2025
Catholic Church has wholeheartedly embraced the ecumenical path
“For the reason that Second Vatican Council,” the Holy Father stated, “the Catholic Church has wholeheartedly embraced the ecumenical path,” saying that Unitatis redintegratio, the Council’s decree on ecumenism, “known as us to dialogue in humble and loving fraternity, grounded in our widespread baptism and our shared mission on the earth.”
“We imagine that the unity Christ wills for His Church should be seen,” he stated, “and that such unity grows by way of theological dialogue, widespread worship the place potential, and shared witness within the face of humanity’s struggling.”
Peace is an indication of the Lord’s presence with us
The Pope stated this name to shared witness finds highly effective expression within the theme chosen for this Ecumenical Week: “Time for God’s peace.”
Pope Leo burdened this message couldn’t be extra well timed as “our world bears the deep scars of battle, inequality, environmental degradation, and a rising sense of religious disconnection.”
But amid these challenges, he reassured them, “we recall that peace will not be merely a human achievement, however an indication of the Lord’s presence with us.”
A promise and a job
This, the Pope stated, is each a promise and a job, “for the followers of Christ are summoned to grow to be artisans of reconciliation: to confront division with braveness, indifference with compassion, and to deliver therapeutic the place there was harm.”
With this sentiment and earlier than concluding in prayer, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that this mission has grown stronger by way of current ecumenical milestones and reiterated the Catholic Church’s dedication to proceed the journey of praying and dealing collectively.
Ecumenical Week in Stockholm 2025
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