The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accompanied by Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Patriarchal Private Office, visited the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit in Harbiye on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in response to an invitation.
There, he attended the Divine Liturgy held in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis of Rome.
Also present at the Divine Liturgy were His Beatitude Sahak Maşalyan, Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, representatives of other Christian communities in the city, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and a large congregation of Roman Catholic faithful.
In his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch once again conveyed his warm and heartfelt fraternal wishes for the speedy recovery of Pope Francis.
At another point in his speech, he referred to the mutual desire for a joint celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, a year in which the celebration of Easter coincides for all Christians according to the calendar.
He further emphasized that the differing methods of calculating Easter undoubtedly hinder Christians from having a stronger and more unified voice in our fragmented world.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
