Patriarch Bartholomew: Pope to come to the Council of Nicaea anniversary

Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: vaticannews.va

Patriarch Bartholomew in Lisbon, in a conversation with journalists, told about Pope Francis's intention to visit Turkey in 2025 to participate in the jubilee celebrations commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council – the Council of Nicaea, according to Daily Sabah.

"His Holiness Pope Francis wishes to celebrate this important anniversary together," said the the Phanar head.

According to Patriarch Bartholomew, a committee is being formed to organize the visit, and the Vatican will soon contact the government in Ankara regarding this matter. In particular, Pope Francis plans to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul before heading to the city of Iznik, where the First Council of Nicaea took place.

The Council of Nicaea was convened by Emperor Constantine the Great on August 25, 325 AD, in the suburb of Nicaea, the city of Nicaea. The council, which lasted more than two months, affirmed the unified Creed, mandatory for all church dioceses. The participants of the council condemned the Arian heresy, declared Sunday as the day of rest instead of Saturday, determined the time of Easter celebration, and formulated 20 canons.

As reported by the UOJ, the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Patriarch Bartholomew, called on Christians of the Western and Eastern rites to celebrate Easter on the same date, starting from 2025.

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