Members of the Joint Committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) met in Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt, Germany, from 9 to 11 September 2026.
The meeting focused on the reception of the revised Charta Oecumenica, synodality and the next steps in ecumenical cooperation. At its conclusion, the participants issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with persecuted Christians, people suffering from violence, and calling for peace, justice and reconciliation.
CEC President H.E. Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain and CCEE President H.E. Msgr. Gintaras Grušas, Archbishop of Vilnius, led the meeting and its discussions.
A central theme was the revised Charta Oecumenica, jointly signed by the two presidents in Rome on 5 November 2025. Participants reflected on how the document is being received across Europe and how its commitments can be put into practice through prayer, dialogue, formation and practical cooperation.
Archbishop Nikitas said that the revised Charta Oecumenica calls the churches to deepen their commitment to Christian unity and translate it into meaningful cooperation. “Our churches have a shared responsibility to walk together and offer a credible Christian witness rooted in reconciliation, peace and hope,” he said.
“Things have moved forward since our meeting in Rome last year, but the Charta Oecumenica cannot remain merely a document on paper. It must become a living commitment that shapes our decisions, strengthens our common witness and leads to concrete cooperation among Christians across Europe,” said Archbishop Grušas.
The Joint Committee also discussed synodality from Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican perspectives. The exchanges highlighted that synodality is essential to the Church’s self-understanding across Christian traditions. Participants stressed the importance of listening, discernment, participation and communion, and explored how synodality can strengthen ecumenical cooperation and common Christian witness in Europe.
The programme included a common prayer at the Church of the Holy Spirit and a visit to the headquarters of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau, a regional church of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), a CEC Member Church, in Darmstadt. Participants met with the church leadership and discussed its ecumenical life, as well as challenges related to democracy and nationalism in Europe.
At the conclusion of the meeting, CCEE and CEC issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with persecuted Christians, people suffering from violence, and calling for peace, justice and reconciliation. The Committee offered its prayers for all people affected by conflict, particularly in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Holy Land. It also encouraged Christians in Europe and around the world to support efforts to foster peace and protect the life and dignity of every human person. The statement was signed by Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius, President of CCEE, and Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, President of CEC.
Participants in the meeting included Msgr. Antonio Ammirati, CCEE General Secretary; Rev. Frank-Dieter Fischbach, CEC General Secretary; H.Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, Archbishop of Luxembourg; H.Em. Cardinal Ladislav Német, Archbishop of Belgrade; Bishop Frank Kopania of the Protestant Church in Germany; Archpriest Radu Constantin Miron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; the Rt Revd Dr Dagmar Winter, Bishop of Edinburgh; Dr Verena Hammes, General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Germany; Rev. Charbel Bteich, CCEE Vice General Secretary; Rev. Dr Karin Sarja of the Church of Sweden; Rev. Prof. Dr Christiane Tietz, Church President of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau; and Rev. Manuel Barrios Prieto, COMECE General Secretary.
The annual Joint Committee meeting reflects the long-standing partnership between CCEE and CEC. Both organisations remain committed to deepening cooperation among Europe’s churches and strengthening their common Christian witness.
Source: ceceurope.org
