Head of Phanar announces joint Easter celebration with the Pope in 2025
Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Archbishop Ieronymos. Photo: sib-catholic.ru
On September 3, 2024, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople announced a joint Easter celebration with Catholics, which is to take place in May 2025, according to the Romfea publication.
In his concluding speech at the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Patriarch Bartholomew informed the hierarchs that "in the current ecclesiastical year, at the end of May 2025, an official celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council will take place in Nicaea (Bithynia) with the participation of His Holiness Pope Francis."
The Patriarch recalled that this year's Synaxis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was dedicated to this historic anniversary, reflected in the selection of the central theme of this year's Synaxis, taken from the Vespers of the Sunday of the Holy and Divine Fathers of the First Council in Nicaea, which addressed the regulation of the date of Easter: "Following their Divine decrees, we worship, in faith... the one Godhead, the consubstantial Trinity."
The press service of the Ecumenical Patriarchate stated that "in the spirit of this unity, the desire was unanimously expressed that next year, Eastern and Western Christianity celebrate Easter together, so that this would not be a fortunate coincidence, but the beginning of establishing a common date for its celebration every year, in accordance with the Easter of our Orthodox Church."
However, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Didymoteicho, Orestiada, and Soufli, the first among the Metropolitans of the New Lands, opposed this proposal. The details of his speech are unknown, as the press service reported that "the work of the meeting was concluded with the usual final word."
Earlier, the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported that on November 23, 2023, Patriarch Bartholomew stated that the road to the unity of all Christians is irreversible.
Read also
Priest charged with desertion freed after faithful raise bail
Archpriest Vitaliy Agafonov, a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has been released after bail was posted with funds raised by the faithful.
UOC clergy and laity from several eparchies donate blood for wounded soldiers
Clergy and Orthodox youth of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church donated blood for wounded military personnel.
UOC faithful in Kozelshchansk hold procession with icon of the Mother of God
Pilgrims and clergy of the Poltava Eparchy prayed at the Kozelshchansk Monastery and took part in a procession around the church with the wonderworking icon.
Hearing in Metropolitan Theodosiy’s сase postponed after “victim” no-show
A scheduled hearing at the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn Court in the case against the ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy was postponed after OCU chaplain Nazariy Zasansky failed to appear.
Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi: The time has come to build the Third Temple
The spiritual leader of Ukraine’s Jewish community commented on Tucker Carlson’s claims about the religious motives behind the war in the Middle East.
US bars removal of children from parents who reject gender transition
U.S. authorities have affirmed the right of families to raise their children in accordance with their religious convictions and biblical understanding of sex.