The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated on the evening of Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit in Harbiye, following his return from Greece, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
At the invitation of the Vatican Nuncio to Türkiye, Archbishop Marek Solczynski, the Ecumenical Patriarch delivered an address in English, focusing on Christian unity, reconciliation between the Churches, and the urgent need for peace in the world.
Opening his remarks in the spirit of Pascha, the Ecumenical Patriarch proclaimed: “During this paschal season, we greet you with this ancient and ever-new proclamation of joy in the Risen Lord,” while emphasizing that, despite divisions, Christians remain united “in spirit and in faith.”
Referring to the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election, the Ecumenical Patriarch described the Pontiff as “our dear brother in Christ” and recalled the late Pope Francis, saying: “We continue to pray for Pope Francis. May his memory be eternal!”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also highlighted the ongoing rapprochement between the Churches of Rome and Constantinople, noting that the path of reconciliation begun in 1964 by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras “has profoundly shaped the journey of reconciliation on which we continue to walk with hope, trust, and perseverance in God.”
A central point of his speech was the recent apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Türkiye and the joint commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea together with the feast of Saint Andrew, patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
“This joint commemoration stands as a moment of profound ecclesial and spiritual significance for the relationship between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said, stressing that the Nicene Creed remains “a living bond of communion” between the two Churches.
He further underlined that the pursuit of Christian unity is inseparable from the mission of peace in the world. “The pursuit of Christian unity is therefore not inward-looking, but profoundly outward-facing: it is a mission for the life of the world,” he said.
Quoting from the joint declaration issued during the recent celebrations, the Ecumenical Patriarch reiterated the Churches’ appeal for peace: “We fervently raise our voices in invoking God’s gift of peace upon our world,” while calling on political leaders “to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately.”
Concluding his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch offered prayers for Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “a moral compass in a fractured world, grounded in the truth of Christ’s teaching.”
“May the Lord grant Pope Leo many years in good health, strengthened by his grace, so that his ministry may continue to grow and to inspire many,” he said.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou