Pope Leo XIV Calls All Christians to the 2033 Redemption Celebration saying "In an age marked by wars...Christians...united in professing the one faith, are called to be a credible sign of peace" FULL TEXT

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday at the Vatican with the Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the occasion of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE DELEGATION OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
ON THE OCCASION OF THE FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
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Your Eminence, dear brothers in Christ,

I am very pleased to meet you, after yesterday we celebrated together the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Patrons of this Church in Rome. Your presence among us expresses the fraternal closeness of the sister Church in Constantinople and of its pastor and leader, His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch. I am deeply grateful to him and to all the members of the Holy Synod for having chosen to send you to Rome, to continue the traditional exchange of visits on the feasts of the Patron Saints of our respective Churches.

In this regard, I vividly remember my participation in the celebration of Saint Andrew, in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George al Phanar, last November 30. I recall with joy and gratitude the meetings I had with His Holiness Bartholomew, in which we were able to deepen our mutual friendship and share our vision on numerous issues, especially the common desire to progress on the path toward full unity among all Christians.

In this perspective, the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea , held on the eve of the feast of Saint Andrew in Iznik, at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew and with the presence of representatives of other Churches and ecclesial Communities, represented an eloquent testimony to the communion already existing among all those who share faith in God, the Father of all, and confess the Lord and Son of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who inspires us and leads us to the fullness of truth and unity. In light of that commemorative event, it became clear how the Nicene Creed must be the basis and reference criterion of this process, proposing the model of true unity in legitimate diversity: Unity in the Trinity, Trinity in Unity (cf. Apostolic Letter In unitate fidei , 12). May the journey towards the celebration of the second millennium of the Redemption, in 2033, be traveled together by all the Christian confessions of the world, rediscovering the gift and the call to be witnesses of the Risen One.

In an age marked by wars and growing polarization, as well as cultural and social divisions, Christians, reconciled among themselves and united in professing the one faith, are called to be a credible sign of peace, contributing decisively to the commitment of all men and women of good will. Indeed, in the current situation, not only the credibility of the Christian message is at stake, but the very future of humanity. The need for greater collaboration among Christians in the face of today's challenges, such as peace, the proper use of new technologies, and the care of creation, stems from the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself: indeed, responsibility for the life and dignity of every human being, beginning with the smallest and most needy, is the criterion that decides our present and eternal destiny (cf. Mt 25:31-46).

Your Eminence, dear brothers, I renew my heartfelt gratitude for this visit, as well as for your personal commitment and that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to promoting the holy cause of Christian unity. I assure you of my prayers, through the intercession of the holy Apostles Peter and Andrew, brothers in flesh and in faith, and I ask God our Father to always accompany us with his blessing. Thank you!