Council in Nicaea 325
Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew
“In 2025, we will celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The Trinitarian and Christological confession of that Council, which acknowledges Jesus to be ‘true God from true God’ and ‘consubstantial with the Father,’ unites us with all those who are baptized,” Pope Francis said.
Understanding the Eastern Churches.
Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Hopes for ‘Unified Date’ for Easter in East and West
The Eastern Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople has expressed a desire that Christians in the East and the West begin celebrating Easter on a “unified date” rather than adhere to separate Lenten calendars.
“Among [the Council of Nicea’s] pivotal discussions was the matter of establishing a common time frame for the Easter festivities,” Bartholomew said. “We are optimistic, as there is goodwill and willingness on both sides.”
Pope Francis has also expressed his intent to reach an agreement to establish a common date for Easter. In 2015, the pontiff said the two churches “have to come to an agreement.”
The pontiff similarly said that disunity is a scandal and joked that Christians could say to one another: “When did Christ rise from the dead? My Christ rose today, and yours next week.”
National Catholic Register
Bridge between EAST and WEST
Pope Francis met with the St. Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group
A gathering of Catholic and Orthodox theologians founded in 2004 to study the many challenges in the ecumenical outreach between the Churches, Pope Francis declared:
“Your patron, St. Irenaeus of Lyons — whom soon I will willingly declare a doctor of the Church with the title Doctor Unitatis — came from the East, exercised his episcopal ministry in the West, and was a great spiritual and theological bridge between Eastern and Western Christians.”