On 29th June, 1967, Pope Paul VI invited Patriarch Athenagoras to send some representatives to Rome. Since then, the leaders of the two Churches have exchanged visits: on 29th June, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, a delegation from the Patriarchate of Constantinople comes to Rome – at times, the Patriarch himself has come; while on 30th November, the feast of Saint Andrew, a delegation from the Vatican travels to the Patriarchate on behalf of the Pope. According to Tradition, Saint Peter, bishop of Rome and Saint Andrew, founder of the episcopal see of Constantinople, were brothers. These visits are a reminder for these two Churches that see themselves as sisters, to commit to reconciliation and to strengthen the bonds of solidarity.
On this feast day, which is meaningful for the journey toward unity among the Churches, we are publishing a video with reflections gathered at the conclusion of the Conference entitled “Called to hope – Key players of dialogue” promoted by Centro Uno, the international secretariat for Christian unity of the Focolare Movement. The event brought together 250 people from 40 countries and 20 Christian Churches, with over 4000 people worldwide following it via streaming.
Turn on subtitles and pick the language you want(International Version)
This year 2025 the feast of Easter is celebrated on the same day by all Christian Churches. Margaret Karram, the President of the Focolare sends her wishes for this feast together with those of some representatives of various Churches..
Enable subtitles and select your preferred language.
An Easter of hope but above all, an Easter to be lived together. In this year 2025, which marks 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea, Christian Churches will celebrate Easter on the same day: Sunday, 20th April.
This is a wonderful coincidence that calls all Christians to take a decisive step toward unity—a call to rediscover ourselves as united in plurality.
In an age marked by divisions on every front and especially at this time that brings us closer to the mystery of the Resurrection, we would like to share what Chiara Lubich said in Palermo in 1998 about “A Spirituality for Dialogues”, specifically an “ecumenical spirituality.”
It is a direct invitation to respond to the call of mutual love, not as individuals, but together. It is an opportunity to look upon the Jesus Forsaken on the cross as a light which, even in the ultimate sacrifice, not only leads us but becomes the sure pathway along which we can take our steps.
Enable subtitles and select your preferred language.
The ecumenical conference Called to hope – Key players of dialogue, will take place from the 26th to the 29th of March 2025 at the Mariapolis Centre of Castel Gandolfo (Italy). It is promoted by “Centro Uno”, the Focolare Movement’s international secretariat for Christian unity. There will be more than 250 faithful of 20 Christian Churches participating in person, coming from over 40 countries of 4 continents, including the Philippines, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ireland, Venezuela, United States. There will be 15 translations, and the conference will also be broadcast via streaming.
Thursday, the 27th of March, the group will go to Rome to visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (at 4:00pm). An ecumenical prayer of reconciliation and for peace open to all is planned.
The conference programme will also focus on the three anniversaries that occur this year: in the context of the Jubilee Year “Pilgrims of Hope” of the Catholic Church, we will commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the coincidence of the date of the celebration of Easter for all Churches, and the 60th anniversary of the abolition of mutual excommunications between the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople.
Among the ecumenical personalities present who will speak: Msgr. Andrea Palmieri, Undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Msgr. Derio Olivero, President of the Episcopal Commission for ecumenism and dialogue of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Prof. Dr. Martin Illert, representative of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Archbishop Khajag Barsamian representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church to the Holy See, Dr. Natasha Klukach, Director of Research and Operations of the Global Christian Forum, Dr. William Wilson, President of the Pentecostal World Fellowship (via video message), Dr. Elisabeth Newman of the Baptist World Alliance, Dr. Margaret Karram and Dr. Jesús Morán, President and Co-president of the Focolare Movement.
Why is it urgent to work for ecumenism?
In this time of divisions and great challenges – wars, the increase in refugees around the world, unequal distribution of wealth, almost irreversible damage to the earth’s ecosystem – as Christians, we are called together to bear witness to the hope of the Gospel and to be protagonists of dialogue and unity, committing ourselves to live together for peace, to build fraternity, to spread hope. Christian unity is instrumental in bringing peace wherever it is lacking.
The Holy Year has its spiritual roots in the Jewish tradition, where every 50 years a “jubilee” was celebrated, bringing freedom to slaves and prisoners. In the Catholic Church Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Holy Year in 1300. Since then, an “indulgence” has accompanied the Holy Year, which the faithful can obtain, under certain conditions, by passing through a “Holy Door”.
However, Lutherans like me generally don’t feel comfortable with the word “indulgence,” as it brings us back to the Reformation period and the scandal of the sale of indulgences in the Catholic Church. This practice was banned by the Council of Trent and therefore no longer exists. However, I have noticed that the term “indulgence” is still loaded with misunderstandings among believers of all denominations. One of the most widespread misconceptions is that indulgences can forgive someone’s sins but according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, this is not the case. The forgiveness of sins takes place, as it does in the Lutheran Church, through confession, penance and absolution by a pastor who acts in the name of Jesus.
From my point of view, indulgences instead touch a psychological dimension of sin, the part that often remains in our memory (even after absolution), perhaps a wound or a feeling of fear or sadness… In any case, there is still psychological work to be done. That is why, in the passage through the “Holy Door”, I see an invitation to open a door in my heart to compassion and reconciliation, to let go of whatever blocks me on the path to true freedom and authentic peace. It is a conscious decision, a process that is set in motion. The fundamental thing, from the Christian point of view, is that the success of this process does not depend on me, but on the hands of the One who holds the world in His hands. Only His grace can finally heal the wounds in my life or reconcile humanity.
“In the passage through the ‘Holy Door’, I see an invitation to open a door in my heart to compassion and reconciliation, to let go of whatever blocks me on the path to true freedom and authentic peace”.
For me, therefore, passing though through this door symbolizes the decision to follow Jesus (once again) and choose the path of true life. As He says in the Gospel of John (Jn. 10: 9): “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved”! To my great joy, the Bull of Indiction “Hope does not disappoint”, in which Pope Francis announces the 2025 Holy Year, has a clear ecumenical dimension. It starts from God’s grace, in which all human beings partake and defines the Holy Year as “an invitation to all Churches and Ecclesial Communities to persevere on the path to visible unity and in the quest of finding ways to respond fully to the prayer of Jesus: ‘that they may all be one`” (Jn 17:21).[1]
Therefore the theme of “hope” for the Holy Year 2025 has a positive resonance for all Christians. The Lutheran World Federation has chosen “Sharing Hope” as its motto for the year 2025. And the World Council of Churches, which represents the majority of Protestant and Orthodox Churches, anticipates an “Ecumenical Year” along the “path of justice, reconciliation and unity”. If goodwill leads to concrete actions, then the 2025 Holy Year could open doors for ecumenism, which could bring separated Christians closer. As Pope Francis wrote, ” Let us even now be drawn to this hope! Through our witness, may hope spread to all those who anxiously seek it.” [2]
Corinna Mühlstedt
[1] Pope Francis, Spes non confundit, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025, 9 May 2024, 17. [2] Papa Francesco, ibidem, 25.
The Focolare Movement is organizing an international ecumenical conference entitled: “Called to hope – key players of dialogue” to which all are invited. It will take place from 26th-29th March 2025. As Christians, in a time of divisions and great challenges, we are called together to witness the hope of the Gospel and to be protagonists of dialogue and unity, committing ourselves to live for peace, to build fraternity, to spread hope. Through round tables, interviews and testimonies we aim to offer method and spirituality to dialogue together with good practices and ecumenical initiatives already underway Link to the invitation
