His Holiness Pope Leo XIV Meets and Prays with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Istanbul

During his Apostolic Journey to Türkiye, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV joins the Ecumenical Patriarch for a Prayer Service at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Istanbul.

By Vatican News

On Saturday, his third day in Türkiye, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV addressed the faithful at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in a Prayer Service and Doxology.

In his greeting to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, the Pope expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the warm reception, highlighting the continuity of fraternal bonds with his predecessors.

“Upon entering this Church,” Pope Leo XIV said, “I experienced great emotion, mindful that I am following in the footsteps of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. I am also aware that Your All Holiness had the opportunity to meet my venerable predecessors personally, and to develop a sincere and fraternal friendship with them based on shared faith and a common vision of the challenges facing the Church and the world.”

The Pope reflected on the deepening of his own friendship with the Ecumenical Patriarch, recalling their first meeting at the start of his ministry as Bishop of Rome.

Central to the pilgrimage was the commemoration of the First Council of Nicaea, an event that laid the foundations of Christian unity.

“Yesterday, and again this morning, we experienced extraordinary moments of grace as we commemorated, together with our brothers and sisters in faith, the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea,” the Pope said.

He emphasized that the memory of the Council, inspired by the prayer of Jesus that “all His disciples may be one” (cf. Jn 17:21), encourages a renewed commitment to restore full communion among all Christians. 

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV also paid homage to the Apostle Andrew, patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 

Concluding his greeting, the Pope extended his “most fervent good wishes” to the Patriarch and all present in celebration of the feast of their patron saint on Sunday, underscoring the shared journey of faith that unites the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Before a private meeting, the Pope and the Patriarch signed a Joint Declaration reaffirming their shared commitment to Christian unity and peace.

This text was originally published on the Website of Vatican News.