By Anna Andreou
In an atmosphere of deep emotion and fraternal warmth, Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew delivered their addresses inside the Patriarchal Church of St. George at the Phanar, in Istanbul, immediately after the Vespers for the feast of St. Andrew the First-Called.
The joint presence of the two Primates in the historic church – one of the most sacred sites of Orthodoxy – has already been described as a moment of “symbolic weight” for the dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox.
Pope Leo XIV, visibly moved, spoke of the spiritual significance of being at the Phanar on the eve of the feast of St. Andrew, stressing that he feels he is “following in the footsteps” of his predecessors who passed through the gate of the same church: Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.
The Pope referred to the Gospel’s call for unity, noting that his visit to the Phanar is part of a “continuous journey of love and truth,” and that the effort toward full communion between the Churches is “a gift from God, not simply a human undertaking.”
He recalled the touching moments he shared with the Patriarch in Nicaea, on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, saying that “the memory of the Fathers of the Church calls us to continue steadfastly on the path of reconciliation.”
Referring to the feast of St. Andrew, the protector of the Patriarchate, the Pope emphasized that honoring the apostles of the early Church constitutes a “common foundation” that unites Orthodox and Catholics.
He concluded by expressing the wish that “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may have mercy on all and fulfill the prayer for unity.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch: “Christ is in our midst”
Patriarch Bartholomew welcomed the Pope with a warm, fraternal greeting, reminding him that the Great Church of Christ receives His Holiness “with the same love” with which it welcomed Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.
The Patriarch made special reference to the late Pope Francis, explaining that the joint pilgrimage to Nicaea was originally a vision conceived by both Primates.
“The promise was fulfilled yesterday by the two of us,” he said, noting that “the soul of Francis rejoiced with us in Nicaea.”
In a highly symbolic remark, the Patriarch compared the Pope’s presence at the Phanar and in Nicaea to the Orthodox tradition before the Divine Liturgy:
“According to our tradition, before participating in the Liturgy, the priest receives ‘Katharia’ – purification – from the icons. And you have come to receive spiritual cleansing and strength from the place of Nicaea for your new ministry.”
The Patriarch stressed that the path of the two Churches must be a shared one:
“We must preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Closing his remarks, he addressed the Pope with the traditional phrase:
“We embrace you fraternally in Christ. Christ is in our midst!”
The two also signed a joint declaration that can be read in full here.
The coexistence of the two Primates in the Patriarchal Church, immediately after the Vespers of St. Andrew, is already regarded as one of the most significant moments in Orthodox-Catholic relations in recent decades.
Source: CNA