Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I signed a joint declaration in Istanbul, expressing the desire to restore 'full communion' between the Catholic and Orthodox churches and condemning the use of religion for violence.
As part of his visit to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV visited the cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
In the declaration addressed to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Nicaean Council, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch called for a renewed witness of peace, reconciliation, and unity.
They emphasized the importance of shared determination in setting the date of Easter for all Christians and expressed hope for further joint celebrations of this holiday every year.
After the inaugural mass, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Pope Leo XIV and presented the pontiff with an icon of the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus in her arms, painted on wood.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a unique gift to Pope Leo XIV and underlined the importance of the declaration on unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.