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The Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrates its Throne Feast today, on the feast of Saint Andrew the First-Called, founder of the Church of Constantinople. The patriarchal and synodal Divine Liturgy is being celebrated, presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and concelebrated by Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, in the presence of Pope Leo XIV.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church arrived at the Phanar at around 10:30 local time (9:30 Greek time). Also present in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George are hierarchs of both Churches, representatives of other Christian denominations, diplomats, other officials, and faithful.
The Greek government is represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Loverdos.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the two primates blessed the faithful from the balcony of the Patriarchal House. At midday on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV, after attending a luncheon with the Ecumenical Patriarch, will depart by air from Constantinople for Beirut, where he will continue the second stage of his apostolic journey.
On Saturday, at the Phanar, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV signed a Joint Declaration reaffirming their commitment to full communion and unequivocally rejecting the use of religion to justify violence.
Messages of unity from the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Phanar – Joint Declaration signed
“The goal of Christian unity,” the declaration states, “includes the objective of contributing in a fundamental and life-giving manner to peace among all peoples. Together we fervently raise our voices in invoking God’s gift of peace upon our world.”
The text notes that “tragically, in many regions of our world, conflict and violence continue to destroy the lives of so many,” and issues an appeal to those with political responsibility to do everything possible to ensure the immediate end of the tragedy of war.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo remind readers that the pursuit of full communion is not based on human diplomacy but on obedience to the Lord’s prayer in the Gospel of John: “that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you… so that the world may believe.”
They reaffirm their determination to continue walking together “in love and truth,” calling on all the faithful—clergy, monastics, and laity—to pray and labor for the fulfillment of this divine petition.
They also declare that Christians are united by the faith confessed in the Nicene Creed: the proclamation of Jesus Christ as “true God from true God,” “consubstantial with the Father,” who became incarnate for our salvation, died and rose again, ascended into heaven, and will come in glory to judge the living and the dead.
This shared acceptance of the Creed, the two primates note, enables Christians to face common challenges with mutual respect and authentic hope.
Expressing gratitude that this year all Christians celebrated Easter on the same day, they describe this as a gift of Divine Providence and affirm their shared desire to continue the process of discerning a possible solution that would allow all Christians to celebrate together the “Feast of Feasts” every year, praying to be guided “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
The two religious leaders also highlight the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Joint Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, which lifted the excommunications of 1054. They thank God for this prophetic gesture, which opened the way for dialogue grounded in “a spirit of trust, esteem and mutual charity the dialogue,” and encourage those who still hesitate to engage in dialogue to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit, who urges Christians to offer the world a renewed witness of reconciliation.
Reaffirming their support for the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, the two leaders note that its current phase is examining issues historically regarded as divisive.
Photos: POOL/ANA-MPA/ALEXANDROS BELTES/EUROKINISSI
