Italian
“The Council of Nicaea is not just an event of the past, but a compass that must continue to guide us towards the full visible unity of Christians.” Pope Leo XIV said yesterday morning, Saturday, June 7, in a passage of the speech he delivered in the Clementine Hall when receiving the participants of the symposium “Nicaea and the Church of the Third Millennium: Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity,” held at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas from June 4 to 7. “The First Ecumenical Council is fundamental for the common journey that Catholics and Orthodox have undertaken together since the Second Vatican Council. For the Eastern Churches, which commemorate its celebration in their liturgical calendar, the Council of Nicaea is not simply a Council among others or the first of a series, but the Council par excellence, which promulgated the norm of the Christian faith, the creed of the ‘318 Fathers’.”
In the months of May and June of the year 325 AD (this year marks the 1700th anniversary of the event), Emperor Constantine I convened a council in Nicaea (an ancient city in Turkey, now called Iznik, located about 130 km southeast of Istanbul). Approximately 318 bishops participated in the Council. During the meeting, doctrinal issues were addressed, as recorded in the “Declaration of the 318 Fathers,” specifically focusing on the Creed, also known as the “Nicene Creed,” which professes Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
“The three themes of your Symposium are particularly relevant for our ecumenical journey,” the Pope continued. “Firstly, the faith of Nicaea. As observed by the International Theological Commission in its recent Document for the 1700th anniversary of Nicaea, the year 2025 represents ‘an invaluable opportunity to emphasize that what we have in common is much stronger, both quantitatively and qualitatively, than what divides us: together, we believe in the triune God, in the true man and true God Christ, in salvation in Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures read in the Church and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Together, we believe in the Church, baptism, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life.’ I am convinced that by returning to the Council of Nicaea and drawing from this common source together, we will be able to see in a different light the points that still separate us. Through theological dialogue and with the help of God, we will gain a better understanding of the mystery that unites us. By celebrating together this Nicene faith and proclaiming it together, we will also advance towards the restoration of full communion among us.”
Then the second theme of the Symposium, that of synodality. “The Council of Nicea inaugurated a synodal path for the Church to follow in managing theological and canonical issues at a universal level. The contribution of the fraternal delegates of the Churches and ecclesial communities of the East and the West to the recent Synod on Synodality, held here in the Vatican, was a precious stimulus for a deeper reflection on the nature and practice of synodality.”
The final document of the Synod highlighted that “ecumenical dialogue is fundamental for developing understanding of synodality and the unity of the Church” and encouraged the development of “ecumenical synodal practices, up to forms of consultation and discernment on matters of shared and urgent interest” (For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission, 138).
Pope Leo XIV then added, “I hope that the preparation and joint commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea will be a providential opportunity to deepen and confess together the Christological faith and to put into practice forms of synodality among Christians of all traditions.”
Finally, the third theme of the Symposium was that of Easter. “As we know, one of the objectives of the Council of Nicaea was to establish a common date for Easter in order to express the unity of the Church. Unfortunately, the differences in respective calendars no longer allow Christians to celebrate together the most important feast of the liturgical year.” The Pope reaffirmed the readiness of the Catholic Church to search for an ecumenical solution that promotes a common celebration of the Lord’s resurrection.”
Photo: Pope Leo XIV, Audience with participants in the symposium on the Council of Nicaea (copyright Vatican Media)
