“Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I signed a joint declaration during a meeting in Istanbul, in which they recorded the desire to restore full unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches and categorically condemned the use of religious narratives to legitimize violence.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I sign the Joint Declaration. Photo: Vatican News Source: Vatican News, quoted by “Ukrinform”
Details: The pontiff visited the cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul on the third day of his visit to Turkey. The meeting of the superiors took place on the eve of the day of commemoration of the holy apostle Andrew the First-Called, who is considered the heavenly patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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The key topic of the negotiations was the declaration dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. In the document, the leaders of both churches emphasized the need to show the world “a renewed testimony of peace, reconciliation and unity.”
The text of the joint statement emphasizes that the achievement of Christian unity is not only an internal church task, but also aims to make a “fundamental and life-giving contribution to peace among all peoples.”
The Pope and the Patriarch appealed to political leaders to do everything possible to bring an immediate end to wars, as conflicts continue to destroy people’s lives in many regions of the world.
“We reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence,” the document reads.