Archbishop Sarah Mullally to visit Pope Leo XIV in April

Lambeth Palace has confirmed that Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally will visit Rome from Saturday, 25th April, to Tuesday, 28th April. During her visit, the Archbishop will meet with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican and worship with the Anglican churches in Rome.

The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury have exchanged letters expressing their commitment to Christian unity and Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue.

Pope Leo XIV wrote to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her Installation, which was held at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday. The Pope said that he prayed she might “be guided by the Holy Spirit” and “draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God.”

In response, Archbishop Sarah thanked the Pope for his prayers, and assured him of her own. “I am deeply grateful for your gracious letter, and for the assurance of your prayers at the time of my installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,” she wrote. “Your words of encouragement, and your invocation of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, are received with profound appreciation.”

In her message, the Archbishop wrote: “As Archbishop of Canterbury, I too am called to serve as an instrument of communion within the Anglican Communion, and to seek the full and visible unity to which our Lord has called us all (John 17:21).” She added: “I very much look forward to meeting Your Holiness in the near future and to continuing to strengthen the bonds of friendship and our shared commitment.”

Bishop Anthony Ball, the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See, remarked: “I very much look forward to welcoming Archbishop Sarah during her visit in this 60th anniversary year for the Anglican Centre in Rome. The Centre has continued to encourage dialogue and collaboration with the Catholic Church following Pope Leo’s election, in support of the vision for peace and social justice shared with the Anglican Communion. The visible unity of the Church and the building of bridges in a time of division and insecurity brings hope to many people around the world, and will remain a strong commitment under Archbishop Sarah’s leadership.”

Prayer service celebrates Common Declaration

The Pope’s message was delivered and read to Archbishop Sarah on Thursday morning by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, at Canterbury Cathedral. This followed a service of prayer with the Roman Catholic delegation attending Archbishop Sarah’s Installation to mark the 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration of 24th March 1966, the first formal ecumenical statement between Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.

Held the day after Archbishop Sarah’s Installation, the service commemorated the historic 1966 meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope St Paul VI. Following Morning Prayer, Archbishop Sarah and Cardinal Koch prayed together at the site of the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket in the Cathedral Quire, mirroring Pope St John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie’s visit to the site in 1982.

At the Vatican in 2024, Pope Francis told the Primates of the Anglican Communion that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.” Referring to these words in his letter, Pope Leo added: “Dear sister, I willingly make these words my own, for it is through the witness of a reconciled, fraternal and united Christian community that the proclamation of the Gospel will resound most clearly.”

Speaking after the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey set before our Churches a vision of reconciliation grounded in charity, truth, and a shared desire for unity in Christ. Their meeting marked a new beginning in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations – one that continues to bear fruit in dialogue, friendship, and common witness across the world. I give thanks for this shared journey, which continues to grow, not least through the recent state visit of His Majesty The King to Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

“Through ongoing dialogue, including the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), we continue to seek that unity in Christ, in whom we find both the source and the fulfilment of our communion. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us into all truth, deepen our fellowship, and lead us ever closer to the visible unity for which Christ prayed.”

Belgian bishop plans to ordain married men to fulfil Synod vision

‘The initiative is now in the hands of local bishops,’ Bishop Johan Bonny wrote in his pastoral letter, noting that the Antwerp diocesan synod had proposed several reforms.

Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp has challenged Rome to push forward with synodal reforms by announcing changes including the ordination of married men in his diocese by 2028.

Carefully quoting guidelines for the Synod on Synodality’s implementation phase (2025-2028), his 11-page pastoral letter proposed the viri probati reform alongside the naming of woman pastors, a new understanding of parishes, welcoming new Catholics and updating the Church’s message.

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A Call to Reconciliation: A Joint Document from ARCUSA

The 89th meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States of America (ARCUSA) met at the Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, Maryland, from Nov. 8-10, hosted by the secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Against a background of communal worship, participants finalised a draft of a document on reconciliation, tentatively titled, “A Call to Reconciliation: A Joint Document from the Anglican-Roman Catholic USA Dialogue.” All members participated in a careful review of the entire document, providing final additions and edits. A final draft of this document on reconciliation will be presented in 2024 for approval by the General Convention of The Episcopal Church and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In addition, members participated in a liturgy of reconciliation intended for use as a rite for Episcopalians and Catholics. This liturgy is intended to be an appendix to the document as a sign of a common commitment to the ongoing work of reconciliation between Episcopalians and Catholics.

‘Called to One Hope’: Anglican Consultative Council will gather Anglicans from around the world to meet in Belfast, June-July 2026

Gathering Anglicans from around the world, the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-19) will take place in Belfast from June 27 – July 5, 2026. Themed ‘Called to One Hope’ from the letter to the Ephesians, this important international gathering of Anglican bishops, clergy and laity will explore how the Church can share the reconciling love of Christ in a fragmented world.

Supported by the Anglican Communion Office and hosted by the Church of Ireland, ACC-19 will also be the first official Anglican Communion meeting attended by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Sarah Mullally DBE.

The ACC facilitates the cooperative work of the member churches of the Anglican Communion in the areas of mission and unity. Its meetings include updates from member churches, reports from the commissions and networks of the Communion, and resolutions concerning shared priorities that the members of the ACC wish to address.

Meeting every three years, the Anglican Consultative Council is one of four ‘Instruments of Communion’, alongside the Lambeth Conference, Primates’ Meeting, and Archbishop of Canterbury. Every member church is entitled to send two to three representatives, which include both clergy and lay people, as well as bishops. The last ACC met in Ghana in 2023.

The 2026 ACC-19 meeting in Belfast will combine sessions for Bible Study and prayer, member church updates, and a series of ‘Global Conversations’ addressing topics of mutual concern in church and world affairs. Through a lens of both mission and advocacy, these will include discipleship, safe church, peace and reconciliation, migration and the environment.

As a consultative council, the ACC also focuses on proposals and resolutions submitted by official commissions and networks of the Anglican Communion. At ACC-19, these will include ‘Vision 36’, a bold church-planting initiative of the Anglican Communion Commission for Evangelism and Discipleship (ACCED). The Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission (ACSCC) will also bring proposals for embedding effective safeguarding standards and processes within the lives and contexts of all member churches.

ACC members will also undertake a daylong pilgrimage, visiting sites of historic importance, to learn more about the Irish experience of conflict and the church’s ministry in peace and reconciliation. The host church will organise the opening and closing services at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.

Another major focus will be consideration of proposals concerning Christian unity, Anglican identity and the structures of the Communion. Daily sessions will be hosted by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) and resolutions emerging from its paper, The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, published in 2024. The paper was commissioned at ACC-19 in 2023 ‘to help address our differences in the Anglican Communion’ in service of ‘seeking to walk together to the highest degree possible.’ The paper is set within the longstanding commitment of the Anglican Communion to answering God’s call to unity in the Body of Christ.

The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals outline two principal measures. The first proposes an updated description of the Anglican Communion to reflect its current structure and reality. The revised description enables all Anglicans to speak truly and honestly about the faith, ministry, and mission that they share.

The second proposes a broadening of the leadership of the Anglican Communion, to better reflect the diversity of the Communion in today’s world and ensure that the leadership of the Communion ‘looks like the Communion.’ The proposed modest structural reforms are offered to enhance the collegiality of the Instruments and complement the unique ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Since publishing its original paper, IASCUFO has engaged in a period of listening to responses, with an eye to presenting revised proposals for ACC-19 this June. This has entailed careful consideration of various published responses, online consultations with bishops and members of the ACC, ecumenical consultations, and regular conversations with the Standing Committee of the Communion and with Archbishop Mullally. The commission will publish a ‘Supplement’ to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals in the days ahead, along with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) text as an accompaniment.

More information will be released about the Anglican Consultative Council in the coming months. The Anglican Communion Office is contacting member churches, commissions and networks regarding submission processes and dates for reports.

Looking ahead to the Anglican Consultative Council, the Secretary General, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, said: ‘In 2026, the Anglican Communion Office will facilitate the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. We look forward to collaborating with the Church of Ireland, as it hosts this important gathering. We are in contact with all the churches of the Communion as plans take shape. I encourage every church to send members to participate in the important discussions of ACC-19.’

The Most Revd John McDowell, The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland: ‘The Anglican Consultative Council plays an important role in the life of the Anglican Communion, gathering representatives from our diverse Anglican family for consultation, prayer and fellowship. The Church of Ireland is looking forward to being the host Province for the meeting of ACC-19 in 2026, and we will continue to pray for all those who will take part. May it be a fruitful opportunity for Anglicans to be together in God’s presence as a community within the body of Christ and to discern God’s will for His Church in our day, so that we may be equipped by the Spirit to respond to the needs of the world.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Sarah Mullally: ‘In a fractured world, and an often divided church, the Anglican Communion is such a profound gift. As I begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am so grateful for this global community of Anglicans, all bound by our shared faith in Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to spending time at the Anglican Consultative Council with bishops, clergy and laity from across the world, celebrating our common ministry, enriching one another’s faith, and looking for new ways to walk together. In this spirit of collaboration, I return to my favourite proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I believe that by working together, and with God’s help, the Anglican Communion can offer good news to a world in great need. I also look forward to considering IASCUFO’s Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, as we seek to respond to God’s call for the Church to be one and explore ways of walking together to the highest degree possible.’

The Rt Revd Graham Tomlin, Chair of IASCUFO: ‘In our polarised world, it can be easy to feel — even in the Church — the impetus toward division and separation. But Christ calls his Church to unity. When Christians find ways to walk together across deep disagreement and difference, there is so much we can do to impact the world for good. As we prepare for ACC, I look forward to sharing the fruit of IASCUFO’s labours as presented in The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals and our supplementary paper. In the power of God’s Spirit, I pray that we may have the courage and honesty to attend to deeply held disagreements within our Communion, with the conviction and obedience to respond to Christ’s call.’

A letter to Bishops around the Anglican Communion

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

“Since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 2 Corinthians 4:1.

Grace and peace to you.

It is a joy and a privilege as my time as Archbishop of Canterbury begins to write to the Bishops of the Anglican Communion.

At my Confirmation of Election in St Paul’s Cathedral, I was charged to work in partnership with my fellow Primates and Bishops of the Anglican Communion. I look forward to this shared ministry as we seek to be, not only disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also his apostles, sent to share the good news of his love with all entrusted to our care. May the Lord be merciful to us and strengthen our hearts after the encouragement of the Apostle Paul.

The beginning of my new ministry coincides with the season of Lent and I have been reflecting that personally this feels like the most wonderful gift. Before he began his public ministry, Jesus chose to follow the lead of the Spirit into the wilderness to spend time doing ‘business’ with his Father.  Through fasting, prayer, the confronting of temptations and feeding on Scripture, Jesus emerged renewed for ministry and completely determined to live out the will of God, no matter the cost.

I will spend time this Lent on retreat and pilgrimage as I prepare for my Installation in Canterbury Cathedral on the Feast of the Annunciation. I will be praying that you may know renewal, grace, and encouragement in your ministry this Lent. We all know the cost and burden of the episcopal calling as well as the deep joy that comes from the privilege we have of serving God’s people and the wider world.

I write simply to acknowledge the encouragement of our shared partnership in the Gospel and to recognise the significance of walking this path together, not least through Lent towards Easter as we prepare once again to celebrate the joy of the resurrection.  Please pray for me as I pray for you.

I also commend to you this year’s Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book, Dancing to the Heartbeat of God. I’m grateful for the many contributors from across the Communion. Their stories of discipleship, hospitality, courage, and generosity reflect the rich witness of our global family and offer inspiration for our shared life and mission.

May God who invites us into the dance of divine love strengthen us in hope, nurture us in faith, and deepen in all of us a spirit of hospitality as we bear witness to the mercy and love we find as followers of Jesus.

With every blessing in Christ,

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally
Archbishop of Canterbury

A paradigm shift for English Catholicism

Richard Moth is due to be installed on Saturday as the twelfth Archbishop of Westminster since the restoration of the hierarchy in 1850. Veteran religious correspondent Clifford Longley argues that it is time for the Church in England and Wales to fundamentally rethink its purpose and mission.

What is the Catholic Church in England and Wales for, exactly? Some might insist existence is enough and no more needs to be said. When the Catholic Church taught extra ecclesiam nulla salus without qualification, that was clearly an imperative. But the Catechism now states: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation” (quoting Lumen Gentium, 16). Paradise is open to all people of sincere goodwill. So why be Catholic? It is not a question that has yet been fully answered.

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Italy’s Christian churches sign first ecumenical pact

Lutherans are among representatives of eighteen Christian communities in Italy pledging to pursue theological dialogue, joint witness and closer cooperation for the common good.

Strengthening relations among different Christian churches in Italy, while promoting authentic Christian values within an increasingly secular society. Those were the twin goals of a recent symposium, during which representatives of eighteen churches and Christian communities signed an ecumenical pact pledging to pursue dialogue, joint witness and closer cooperation for the common good.

As dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy, Rev. Carsten Gerdes took part in the two-day symposium, held in the southern port city of Bari. The gathering included the signing of a bold new agreement between Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Pentecostal and Free churches present around the Italian peninsula.

Pastor Gerdes, who serves the Ispra-Varese community close to the Swiss border, noted that the 23 to 24 January symposium, entitled ‘The Italian way of dialogue’, brought together around a hundred participants from leadership to local congregational level. “At the conclusion of this meeting, I felt a strong ecumenical impulse among participants, and I hope we can keep this alive, transmitting it to the grassroots,” he said.

In the pact, signed during the opening ceremony in Bari’s ancient cathedral, church leaders pledge to work together for justice, peace and solidarity, focusing especially on protecting human dignity, promoting dialogue between cultures and religions, welcoming migrants and marginalised people, protecting God’s creation and combatting antisemitism, Islamophobia or any other forms of religious discrimination.

“Of course, you haven’t achieved anything by simply signing a piece of paper and putting it in the archives,” Gerdes observed. “But in the pact we also commit ourselves to keeping this dialogue alive, pursuing closer relations, discussing theological questions and overcoming the obstacles that divide us. This is a promise we make not only to ourselves, but also to all our churches, and we hope to follow up with a second symposium in a couple of years’ time.”

During the Bari meeting, delegates participated in working groups dedicated to exploring themes of peacemaking, spirituality, engagement in the public space, interchurch marriages and the sharing of Holy Communion. “I took part in that last group,” Gerdes said, “and clearly this has been a question for the past 500 years, so we weren’t hoping to solve it in our four hours together. But we were able to think about the path ahead and where the problems lie, what our shared baptism means for us being able to share at the Lord’s table.”

We know this is the right path to follow, and [….] we see a lack of authentic Christian values in public life today. — Rev. Carsten Gerdes, Dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy

Like many European nations, Italy has seen a significant decline in participation within all the traditional mainline churches. “The only exception we notice is in the Pentecostal and charismatic communities, who have seen their congregations getting larger and younger,” Gerdes said. “But our joint efforts are not about trying to attract more people into our churches. Rather, it is because we know this is the right path to follow and because we see a lack of authentic Christian values in public life today.”

Just like in his home country, Germany, Gerdes noted that there are “groups talking about the importance of Christianity, but we need to be careful because they may be more interested in getting political votes than in authentic religious values.” The pact, signed at the symposium, underlines the importance of religious freedom and respect for the freedom of conscience of every individual.

While it does not contain concrete proposals for the next steps on this ecumenical journey, the pact does commit each church to “promoting initiatives that favour [greater] knowledge and reciprocal esteem between believers of the different Christian confessions.” Gerdes said he was “delighted to see such a strong impulse from Catholic leaders, who remain the majority church in Italy.” He concluded: “Not only the church leaders, but all participants in this symposium should now take steps forward to continue with this momentum.”

Sarah Mullally confirmed as 106th archbishop of Canterbury

Sarah Mullally was confirmed archbishop of Canterbury Jan. 28 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. She became the first woman to hold the office in its 1,400-year history.

“It is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to have been called to be the 106th archbishop of Canterbury. In this country and around the world, Anglican churches bring healing and hope to their communities,” Mullally said ahead of her confirmation. “With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.”

Leaders in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral for the Confirmation of Election, a legal ceremony set within a worship service. The service included readings and hymns in English, Xhosa and Portuguese, to reflect the global Anglican Communion. Two of the Anglican Communion members who were on the Crown Nominations Commission for the Archbishop of Canterbury were present at the Confirmation of Election. The Rev. Isaac Beach, from the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, shared a prayer, and Joaquin Philpotts, a lay minister in the Anglican Diocese of Argentina, offered a message of encouragement.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell gave the Charge. At the end of the Confirmation of Election, Mullally took up the Primatial Cross and gave the blessing in her first act as archbishop of Canterbury.

“I give thanks for Bishop Sarah and the confirmation of her election as the archbishop of Canterbury. As she prepares for her installation and public ministry this March, I assure her of our prayers and support,” the Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, said before the confirmation. “May God grant the archbishop understanding and discernment as she works to serve the member churches of the Anglican Communion, foster bonds of friendship, and encourage them in sharing the Good News of the Christian faith around the world.”

New York Bishop Matthew Heyd attended the worship service. The Episcopal Diocese of New York has a longstanding companion relationship with the Diocese of London, where Mullally had served as bishop since 2018. Mullally attended Heyd’s installation as bishop of New York in 2024.

“Being part of this communion is God’s call to us … and [Mullally] will help all of us model what it means to be in this relationship with people who have different experiences, different points of view,” Heyd told ENS in a phone interview. “Her ministry in the Diocese of London was powerful, and I know that her leadership will be meaningful to the whole Anglican Communion.”

Mullally will be installed on March 25 at Canterbury Cathedral, where she will preach her first sermon as archbishop. Following the installation, she will begin her public ministry. In the meantime, she will pay homage to King Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, and co-preside and give the presidential address at the Church of England’s General Synod in February in London.

“These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world. I pray that we will offer space to break bread together and discover what we have in common – and I pledge myself to this ministry of hospitality,” Mullally said before the confirmation.

“I want us to be a church that always listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of church abuse who have often been let down,” she said. “I am committed to equipping the church to be a kind and safe place that cares for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, as we rise to the challenge of God’s call to justice, equity, peace and the care of creation.”

Mullally succeeds former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who stepped down in January 2025 under pressure from a scandal in which he was accused of not appropriately addressing allegations of child abuse by a prominent church member.

Diocese of Derby Bishop Libby Lane, the first woman to be appointed a bishop in the Church of England, served as one of the service’s Royal Commissioners.

“It is an honour to have been invited to undertake this role as part of the Confirmation of Election. I am delighted to support Bishop Sarah as she takes up her new ministry,” she said ahead of the service. “It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with her over many years, and to serve with her now as archbishop. Please join me in praying for Sarah and her family, as she begins her new role, leading the Diocese of Canterbury, Church of England and the Anglican Communion.”

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe told ENS, “I look forward to working with Archbishop Mullally as she takes up her new role and am especially grateful for her efforts to diversify the church’s leadership and safeguard vulnerable people and victims of abuse. I pray for her strength and fortitude in these weeks of transition.”

The archbishop of Canterbury, as the most senior bishop in the Church of England, is seen as an “instrument of communion” among the 42 autonomous, interdependent provinces that make up the 85-million-member Anglican Communion, all of which, including The Episcopal Church, have historic ties with the Church of England.

As archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally becomes “first among equals” with the primates of the other 41 Anglican provinces, with responsibility for convening the Primates’ Meeting and Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops, two of the four Instruments of Communion.

Christian Unity: ‘Actions speak louder than words’ says the Bishop of Gibraltar

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes shares a message of hope and offers a reflection on his involvement with the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) and as Bishop of Gibraltar (Diocese in Europe).

Bishop Robert’s reflection:

I am privileged to be the Anglican co-chair of IARCCUM, a sister commission of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC). ARCIC does the hard work of articulating theological agreement. IARCCUM has the positive task of encouraging Anglicans and Roman Catholics to pray, work, learn and go out together in mission on the basis of the many things upon which we can joyfully agree. IARCCUM encourages spiritual ecumenism, the ecumenism of martyrs, the ecumenism of action and mission. It is about acting as if we were one so that we might become one.

During 2025, I was invited to three big occasions in Rome: the funeral of Pope Francis, the inauguration of Pope Leo and the visit of King Charles III to worship with the Pope in the Sistine Chapel.

The third of these events included a memorable symbolic action. King Charles was presented with a throne in St. Paul’s Basilica inscribed with the royal coat of arms and the ecumenical text “ut unum sint“, ‘that they may be one’. We were told that, in Anglo-Saxon times, the maintenance of the Basilica of St. Paul was supported by English monarchs. The bestowal of a throne, therefore, drew on and revived an ancient bond.

It is said with truth that actions speak louder than words. The visit of King Charles to pray with Pope Leo was reported all around the globe. Their visible togetherness was something everyone could see and understand. And the giving a throne in one of the principal Roman churches speaks volumes about the healing and overcoming of historic divisions.

In a world which is polarised and divided, the Church’s mission to make known its unity feels ever more urgent and important. The enacted togetherness between the Pope and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England helps the world see that what unites us is much more than what divides us. It gives all of us hope and helps all of us believe.

About Bishop Robert

Bishop Robert is the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, diocesan bishop of the Diocese in Europe. He provides episcopal oversight, working with colleagues – lay and ordained – to shape the life of the whole Church through the Good News of Jesus Christ and, in so doing, proclaim God’s Kingdom.

Bishop Robert was consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral in July 2014 and has been a diocesan bishop since then.

Before his consecration, Bishop Robert was Chancellor of the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity, Brussels. He previously worked in parish ministry and theological education in Durham, England and was educated in Cambridge and Durham. His pre-ordination career was in engineering and business consultancy. He has published works on theological and psychological ideas of the self, St. Augustine, work and vocation.

Bishop Robert was appointed Chair of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission in 2022. In that capacity, he is also a member of the House of Bishops’ Standing Committee and Vice-Chair of the Church of England’s Council for Christian Unity. He represents the Archbishop of Canterbury with the European Institutions. He is the co-chair of the Reuilly Ecumenical Conversations between the Church of England and the French Protestant Church. Since 2018, he has been President of the Council of St. John’s College in the University of Durham.

My Journey to Full Communion with the See of Peter

The Common Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966, together with the Malta Report (1968), set the agenda for the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, of which I was a member for many years. This agenda was nothing less than the restoration of full communion in faith and sacramental life between the two traditions. Since then, ARCIC has produced a succession of agreements on Eucharist, Ministry, Authority, Salvation, Moral Teaching, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, matters which were seen as Church-dividing. In the year 2000, in spite of some new obstacles, Archbishop George Carey of Canterbury and Cardinal Cassidy of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were able to call a meeting of bishops to consider how to take forward, in practical terms, the remarkable agreements already reached by ARCIC. Thus was formed the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission, of which I was also a member. (more…)

GAFCON leaders say ‘eyes are on Abuja’ as movement moves to reorder Anglican Communion

GAFCON, a conservative Anglican movement that claims to represent the majority of Anglicans worldwide, particularly in the Global South, is moving toward a formal reordering of global Anglican leadership following its October renunciation of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s authority.

On Oct. 16, in a declaration known as the “Martyr’s Day Statement,” GAFCON leaders formally rejected the authority of Dame Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, after she voiced support for same-sex blessings. The statement marked a decisive break with Canterbury-aligned structures and set the stage for what GAFCON leaders describe as a new phase in the life of the Anglican Communion.

The group has voiced growing concern about what it sees as the mainstream Communion’s departure from biblical teaching, citing recent controversies, including the appointment of the Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, a practising lesbian, as Archbishop of Wales.

The Most Revd Dr. Laurent Mbanda, chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, confirmed that invitations have been sent to 500 delegates for the first official meeting of what GAFCON is calling the Global Anglican Communion since the Oct. 16 statement — although 50 bishops have requested financial assistance to attend.

“As primates, we have issued this solemn summons because this is a vital moment of counsel, unity, and shared conviction for our Global Anglican Communion,” Mbanda said.

“Now that the future has arrived, we must come together to discern the path ahead.”

“I can say that the G26 Bishops’ Assembly in Abuja in March will be where there is clarity about the future of the Global Anglican Communion,” a GAFCON spokesperson told Christian Daily International.

The spokesperson also referred to an AnglicanTV Ministries’ interview, “GAFCON to Re-Order Communion” on YouTube on Dec. 11, when presenter Kevin Kallsen interviewed GAFCON General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison about the future of the Anglican movement.

Kallsen asked the bishop where GAFCON “will be” in five to 10 years, and in response, Donison said that “After Abuja, we’ll know more,” adding that “eyes are on Abuja to see how this reordering takes shape.”

“But I believe we’ll be doing what Anglicans have always done—rooted in tradition, expanding globally. I also believe the global church will increasingly help renew the Western church,” said Donison.

The bishop also said that the announcement by GAFCON renouncing the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury in October had been met with a “resounding alleluia” by Anglicans globally, especially in the Majority World.

“Praise God that we are finally reordering the Communion in a true global sense,” he said.

“In the Western churches, even among those very GAFCON-friendly, there have been good questions, especially from those still contending within Canterbury-aligned structures.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council, and the Primates’ Meeting are not essential to Anglican identity, according to the bishop.

“They are modern innovations,” he said in the interview. “Lambeth dates to 1867, the ACC to 1971, and the Primates’ Meeting to 1979. They were attempts to hold unity together, but they failed.

“Instead, leadership must be located in the global church. In Abuja, the primates who affirm the Jerusalem Declaration will together form a new council of primates and elect a chairman, a primus inter pares, first among equals. Leadership is shifting globally because Christianity itself has shifted globally.”

Donison said there had been “no desire for repentance” within the revisionist structures of the Anglican Consultative Council or Canterbury. 

“There has been no desire for repentance within those revisionist structures. If repentance had happened, that would have been the future. Since it hasn’t, the future is reordering. We are still praying for repentance, but we are moving forward.

“For 17 years, we’ve said don’t look to Canterbury to determine if you’re Anglican. What’s different now is that we’re saying look here instead. The locus of leadership has moved. Stop asking whether Canterbury will turn around. Let’s move forward and get on with mission.”

Kallsen pointed out that GAFCON had been described as the missional not political arm of the Anglican movement.

“That was accurate at the time,” responded Donison. “But GAFCON has done more structural work than any other body in global Anglicanism. We’ve established new provinces, consecrated new bishops, and created dioceses in England, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and among Muslim-background believers. We love mission, but we’ve also become structural and ecclesial because GAFCON actually does things.

“This is not a new communion. We are the ongoing Anglican Communion, now reordered to reflect its global reality. We are the supermajority. The fear is being labelled schismatic, but reformers have always been called schismatics. This is not schism; it is reordering under global leadership.”

Furthermore, the bishop acknowledged “pushback” by the GAFCON decision and that it is the “job” of the Anglican Communion Office to “say we’re illegitimate.”

“But Anglican identity has never depended on Canterbury,” he added, “That claim is ahistorical.

“GAFCON stands for the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. We confess together and therefore walk together. There is diversity on secondary issues, but not on first-order doctrinal issues. Endless dialogue without doctrinal clarity only preserves English dominance, and the world has changed.”

Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitive

A report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”

“The status quaestionis of historical research and theological investigation, as well as their mutual implications, rules out the possibility of moving in the direction of admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium, this assessment is strongly maintained, although it does not at present allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated, as is the case with priestly ordination.”

The above is the conclusion reached by the second commission chaired by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop emeritus of L’Aquila, Italy, which — at the request of Pope Francis — had examined the possibility of proceeding with the ordination of women as deacons and concluded its work in February. This is explained in the seven-page report the Cardinal sent to Pope Leo XIV on 18 September and which is now being made public at the Pope’s request.

During its first working session (2021), the Commission determined that “the Church has, at different times, in different places, and in various forms, recognised the title of deacon/deaconess with reference to women, though attributing to it no univocal meaning.” In 2021 the theological discussion unanimously concluded that “a systematic study of the diaconate, within the framework of the theology of the sacrament of Holy Orders, raises questions about the compatibility of the diaconal ordination of women with Catholic doctrine on ordained ministry.” The Commission also unanimously expressed support for the establishment of new ministries that “could contribute to synergy between men and women.”

In the second working session (July 2022), the Commission approved (with seven votes in favour and one against) the statement quoted in full at the beginning of this article, which rules out the possibility of proceeding toward the admission of women to the diaconate as a degree of Holy Orders, but without issuing “a definitive judgment” at this time.

At the last working session (February 2025), after the Synod had allowed anyone who wished to submit contributions, the Commission examined all the material received. “Although many interventions were submitted, the persons or groups who sent their writings numbered only twenty-two and represented few countries. Consequently, although the material is abundant and in some cases skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”

The report summarises arguments for and against. Supporters argue that the Catholic and Orthodox tradition of reserving diaconal ordination (as well as priestly and episcopal ordination) to men alone seems to contradict “the equal condition of male and female as the image of God,” “the equal dignity of both genders, based on this biblical reference”; the profession of faith that “there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all ‘one’ in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28); and social developments “which promote equal access for both genders to all institutional and operative functions.”

On the opposing side, the following thesis was advanced: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.” This paragraph was put to a vote and received five votes in favour of confirming it in this form, while the other five members voted to remove it.

By nine votes to one, the Commission expressed the hope that “women’s access to ministries instituted for the service of the community might be expanded (…) thus ensuring adequate ecclesial recognition of the diakonia of the baptised, particularly of women. Such recognition will be a prophetic sign, especially where women still suffer situations of gender discrimination.”

In his conclusion, Cardinal Petrocchi highlights the existence of “an intense dialectic” between two theological orientations. The first maintains that the ordination of a deacon is for ministry and not for priesthood: “this factor would open the way toward the ordination of women deacons.” The second, by contrast, insists “on the unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, together with the nuptial meaning of the three degrees that constitute it, and rejects the hypothesis of a female diaconate; it also notes that if the admission of women to the first degree of Holy Orders were approved, exclusion from the others would become inexplicable.”

For this reason, according to the Cardinal, it is essential, for continued study, to undertake “a rigorous and wide-ranging critical examination focused on the diaconate in itself—that is, on its sacramental identity and its ecclesial mission—clarifying certain structural and pastoral aspects that are currently not fully defined.” Indeed, there are entire continents in which the diaconal ministry is “almost nonexistent” and others where it is active with functions often “coinciding with roles proper to lay ministries or to altar servers in the liturgy.”

Report translated from the Italian original.

Vatican commission votes against ordaining female deacons

A Vatican commission studying the possibility of female deacons reported that the current state of historical and theological research “excludes the possibility of proceeding” toward admitting women to the diaconate, a conclusion that slows momentum on one of the church’s most debated questions while stopping short of a definitive no.

In a letter sharing the results of its work with Pope Leo XIV and released by the Vatican Dec. 4, the commission reported a 7-1 vote in favour of a statement concluding that the church cannot currently move toward admitting women to the third degree of holy orders, the diaconate.

“In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and ecclesiastical teaching, this assessment is strong, although it does not allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated at this time, as in the case of priestly ordination,” said the approved statement voted on in 2022.

Why only eight votes were recorded from the 10-member commission was not explained in the letter.

The “third degree” of the holy order refers to the diaconate as the foundational degree of ordained ministry. The episcopate (for bishops) and the presbyterate (for priests) represent the two other degrees which the church teaches are above the diaconate in the hierarchy of ordained ministry.

Yet a “purely historical perspective does not allow us to reach any definitive certainty,” wrote Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, president of the commission, introducing the commission’s results. “Ultimately, the question must be decided on a doctrinal level. Therefore, issues relating to the ordination of women as deacons remain open to further theological and pastoral study.”

The study commission was instituted in 2020, the second instituted by Pope Francis to consider the question of the female diaconate. The first commission, formed in 2016 to study the history of women deacons in the church, failed to produce a report of its conclusions.

A separate study group was formed out of the Synod of Synodality to look at various ministerial forms in the church, including the female diaconate, but that group recently communicated that the topic of women’s ordination would be left to the 2020 commission.

Petrocchi wrote that while the commission took into consideration submissions on the matter from the public, as requested during the Synod on Synodality, only 22 people or groups from a select few countries sent in entries, therefore “it cannot be considered as the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”

Additionally, the letter noted that the section of the final document of the Synod on Synodality that calls for continued study of the female diaconate received the highest number of “no” votes among any section of the document: 97 out of 364 voting members.

The letter also stated that the commission was evenly split, 5-5, on a statement that held Jesus’ masculinity and that of all who receive holy orders “is not accidental” but rather an “integral part of the sacramental identity.”

The commission did vote overwhelmingly, 9-to-1, in calling to “expand women’s access to ministries established for community service,” such as the ministry of catechist or lector formally instituted by Francis.

Ultimately, Petrocchi called for “maintaining a cautious approach to the issue of women in the diaconate,” and noted that the commissions have been unanimous in expressing the need for women to “express adequate participation and co-responsibility in the decision-making bodies of the Church, including through the creation of new lay ministries.”

Pope, Patriarch Urge Common Date for Easter

Pope Leo also said he had discussed the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine when he met with Türkiye’s president.

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople called on Christians of the East and West to finally agree on a common date for Easter.

During a meeting at the patriarchal palace on 29 November, the two leaders — who met to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — said the anniversary should inspire “new and courageous steps on the path toward unity,” including finding that common date.

In a joint declaration, Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew said: “We are grateful to divine providence that this year the whole Christian world celebrated Easter on the same day. It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year. We hope and pray that all Christians will, ‘in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,’ commit themselves to the process of arriving at a common celebration of the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The joint declaration also noted that part of the goal of Christianity is to contribute to peace among all people.

“Together we fervently raise our voices in invoking God’s gift of peace upon our world,” they said. “Tragically, in many regions of our world, conflict and violence continue to destroy the lives of so many. We appeal to those who have civil and political responsibilities to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately, and we ask all people of goodwill to support our entreaty.”

The next day, on the flight from Türkiye to Lebanon, Pope Leo told reporters he had discussed the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza when he met privately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 27 November.

“On this trip, there was a special theme of being a messenger of peace, of wanting to promote peace throughout the region,” Pope Leo said.

As for Gaza, he said, “the Holy See for many years has publicly supported a proposal for a two-state solution” in the Holy Land, with Israel and Palestine being fully independent nations, secure within defined borders.

“We all know that right now Israel does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only possible solution to the conflict they continually live,” Pope Leo said.

“We are also friends with Israel,” he said, “and with both sides we try to be a mediating voice that can help approach a solution with justice for all.”

Pope Leo also noted that Erdogan repeatedly had offered to mediate direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in a search for peace.“Unfortunately,” the pope said, “we’ve not yet seen a solution, but today there are concrete proposals for peace, and we hope that President Erdogan, with his relationship with the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, can help in this sense to promote dialogue, a ceasefire, and see how to resolve this conflict, this war in Ukraine.”

Though Nicaea is a ruin, its Creed stands and unites Christians, pope says

Although the ancient city of Nicaea lies in ruins and the geographic centre of Christianity has shifted West, Pope Leo XIV and Christian leaders gathered at an archaeological site in Türkiye to celebrate the enduring faith set out in the Nicene Creed.

Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople hosted the ecumenical prayer service and the common recitation of the Creed Nov. 28 at Iznik, site of the ancient Nicaea, about 80 miles southeast of Istanbul.

With the Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem or their representatives and with representatives of other Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches, Pope Leo marked the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — the primary motive for his first foreign trip as pope.

The joint recitation of the Creed did not include the phrase known as the “filioque” — the statement that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son” — since the phrase is not used by the Orthodox because it was inserted into the Latin Creed by Pope Benedict VIII in 1014.

Recent popes, including Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis and Pope Leo, have omitted the phrase at ecumenical prayer services.

Standing on a platform overlooking the remains of the Basilica of St. Neophytos, now partially submerged in Lake Iznik, the church leaders took turns leading the prayers — in English, Greek and Arabic — and lighting candles as a Catholic choir, singing in Latin, and an Orthodox choir, singing in Greek, alternated.

Patriarch Bartholomew, welcoming the pope and other guests, noted that “despite so many intervening centuries and all the upheavals, difficulties and divisions they have brought, we nevertheless approach this sacred commemoration with shared reverence and a common feeling of hope.”

“The power of this place does not reside in what passes away, but in what endures forever,” he said.

Speaking after the patriarch, Pope Leo told his fellow Christian leaders that at a time when humanity is “afflicted by violence and conflict,” the world “is crying out for reconciliation.”

“The desire for full communion among all believers in Jesus Christ is always accompanied by the search for fraternity among all human beings,” he said. “In the Nicene Creed, we profess our faith ‘in one God, the Father.’ Yet, it would not be possible to invoke God as Father if we refused to recognise as brothers and sisters all other men and women, who are created in the image of God.”

Though united by faith, the Russian Orthodox Church — the largest of the world’s Eastern Orthodox churches — was not represented at the service. The Russian church broke relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the recognition in 2018 of the autonomy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Belief in God the Father, Pope Leo said in Iznik, means “there is a universal fraternity of men and women regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion or personal perspectives.”

With many of the Christian leaders, especially the Oriental Orthodox, coming from nations that recently faced or are facing war and persecution, Pope Leo said Christians must give concrete witness to their belief that all people are children of one God and therefore brothers and sisters to each other.

“Furthermore, we must strongly reject the use of religion for justifying war, violence or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism,” he said. “Instead, the paths to follow are those of fraternal encounter, dialogue and cooperation.”

The pope also repeated a concern he had mentioned during a meeting with Catholic leaders earlier in the day: the risk that many Christians have departed from the Nicene Creed’s firm belief in the divinity of Jesus.

“This question is especially important for Christians, who risk reducing Jesus Christ to a kind of charismatic leader or superman, a misrepresentation that ultimately leads to sadness and confusion,” he said.

At the time of the Council of Nicaea, the pope said, Arius — a priest from Alexandria in Egypt — had denied the divinity of Christ, reducing him to “a mere intermediary between God and humanity, ignoring the reality of the Incarnation such that the divine and the human remained irremediably separated.”

“But if God did not become man, how can mortal creatures participate in his immortal life?” Pope Leo asked.

The pope told the Christian leaders that sharing the same faith in Jesus and being able to recite the Creed together means there “is a profound bond already uniting all Christians.”

“We are all invited to overcome the scandal of the divisions that unfortunately still exist and to nurture the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life,” the pope said. “The more we are reconciled, the more we Christians can bear credible witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is a proclamation of hope for all.”

Patriarch Bartholomew told the leaders that with “the fervour of the faith of Nicaea burning in our hearts,” they must “run the course” of Christian unity in fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his disciples.

“And, finally,” the patriarch said, “let us love one another that with one mind we may confess: Father, Son and Holy Spirit — Trinity consubstantial and undivided.”

Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew sign document urging progress on Christian unity

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople met at the patriarchal seat in the ancient Phanar quarter on Saturday (Nov. 29) to sign a joint declaration affirming their commitment to achieving communion between the two churches.

“We continue to walk with firm determination on the path of dialogue, in love and truth, towards the hoped-for restoration of full communion between our sister Churches,” the declaration read.

While seeking theological rapprochement, the two Christian leaders charted a parallel path to unity through practical peacemaking and environmental work. The statement also recognised personal relationships, prayer and “joint work in all those areas where cooperation is already possible” as ways to advance mutual understanding.

The joint declaration made an impassioned appeal for peace, urging world leaders “to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately,” and encouraged faithful to “reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence.” Interreligious dialogue, the two church leaders agreed, is an essential path towards unity and tolerance.

“While we are deeply alarmed by the current international situation, we do not lose hope,” the document read, recalling the 1,700th anniversary of the [First] Council of Nicaea, when early Christian bishops laid down the foundations of the Christian faith in the Nicene Creed.

On Friday, Leo and Bartholomew joined other Christian leaders to commemorate the important Christian anniversary at the site where the early church fathers likely gathered. “We are convinced that the commemoration of this significant anniversary can inspire new and courageous steps on the path towards unity,” the declaration stated.

A first concrete step, they agreed, could be establishing a common date for the celebration of Easter.

This year, the two church calendars of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Western Christianity happened to align on a common date for Easter, April 20, 2025. It also happened to be the 60th anniversary of the first Joint Declaration signed between the Orthodox and Catholic churches in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I.

The Ecumenical Patriarch is considered first among equals among the nine Orthodox Patriarchs. Appointed in 1991, Bartholomew has been a consistent voice for peace, ecumenical dialogue, and care for the environment. The Orthodox Church counts 225 million faithful among its members, mostly located in Eastern Europe.

But Bartholomew’s position as a patriarch ruling from a Muslim majority country is isolated and often precarious. He is required to obtain approval for any local activities from both the Turkish political leadership and the Diyanet, the powerful department for religious affairs. He has also caused controversy in the Orthodox realm when he recognised the independence, or autocephaly, of the Orthodox Churches in Ukraine seeking independence from the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill.

Before signing the document, Leo and Bartholomew gathered at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, where they recited a short hymn, or doxology, for the unity and stability of Christian churches.

After the hymn, Bartholomew expressed his gratitude that he and Leo were able to honour Pope Francis’ desire to commemorate the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

Leo acknowledged his predecessors’ outreach to the eastern church in his brief remarks after the ceremony. “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 many of the main challenges facing the Church and the world,” he said.

Bartholomew attended Francis’ inauguration in 2013, an unprecedented event in the history of the two churches, and later attended Leo’s inauguration as pope as well.

After the two Christian leaders’ prayer at Nicaea on Friday, Leo said he is “encouraged in our commitment to seek the restoration of full communion among all Christians, a task that we undertake with God’s help.”

Later Saturday, Leo celebrated a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena before 4,000 Christian faithful. On Sunday, he will fly to Lebanon for the second leg of his first papal trip.

Where Christians forged a common creed, Pope Leo calls to end ‘scandal of divisions’

Seventeen centuries after bishops from East and West convened in Nicaea to craft the creed that defined Christianity, Pope Leo XIV returned to the ancient site with an appeal to “overcome the scandal of the divisions” that continue to fracture Christians today.

Marking the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — the centrepiece of his trip to Türkiye and Lebanon — the pope called on Christians the world over “to nurture the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life.”

On his second day in Türkiye, he prayed alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, on the shore of Lake Iznik — where the council that established a common creed for Christians convened 1,700 years ago.

Numerous patriarchs were represented at the gathering, and priests and bishops from Greek Orthodox, Syrian, Coptic, Malankarese, Armenian, Anglican and other Protestant churches participated in the common profession of faith.

Leo is the first pope to visit the site of the council. Pope Sylvester I, the pope at the time of the council, sent representatives on his behalf.

Convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 325 to establish unity among fragmented Christian communities, the Council of Nicaea produced the first version of what would become the Nicene Creed, the profession of faith still recited today by Catholics, Orthodox Christians and most Protestants. It stands as a rare moment of visible unity in a history of Christianity that is more often marked by fracture.

Yet today, “the whole of humanity afflicted by violence and conflict is crying out for reconciliation,” Leo said.

“We must strongly reject the use of religion for justifying war, violence or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism,” he added. “Instead, the paths to follow are those of fraternal encounter, dialogue and cooperation.”

Looking out over the lake, Leo and Bartholomew stood before the ruins of the ancient Basilica of St. Neophytos, believed by some to have been the venue for the Council of Nicaea. The basilica’s sunken foundations were rediscovered in Lake Iznik in 2014 from aerial photographs and later excavated.

In welcoming the pope and other delegations, Bartholomew said that the power of Nicaea “does not reside in what passes away, but in what endures forever.”

“Having the fervour of the faith of Nicaea burning in our hearts, let us run the course of Christian unity that is set before us,” he said.

Both Leo and Bartholomew have expressed their desire to achieve full communion between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, though questions around doctrine and nontheological issues remain obstacles.

At Iznik, Leo framed the council as one “of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making toward full communion.”

The pope’s decision to mark the council’s anniversary in Türkiye, a trip originally planned for Pope Francis, signals the emphasis on unity he has developed early in his pontificate.

Türkiye’s tiny Catholic community

While Leo’s first day in Türkiye was dominated by meetings with political leaders in Ankara, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and an address to government officials, his second day shifted the focus to his role as a pastor. Before travelling to Iznik, Leo met representatives of Türkiye’s minuscule Catholic community, visited a nursing home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor and had a private meeting with Türkiye’s Chief Rabbi David Sevi.

At Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, tucked behind an unassuming building front in the heart of Türkiye’s largest city, Leo urged Türkiye’s Catholics to not “look with resignation at how small the Catholic Church has become numerically.”

Only 33,000 Catholics are present in Türkiye, making up just 0.04% of the population, according to Vatican statistics.

The church’s true strength lies in the “logic of littleness” chosen by God, Leo said.

“It does not lie in her resources or structures, nor do the fruits of her mission depend on numbers, economic power or social influence.”

Though the pope’s first meeting with a Catholic community abroad was nowhere near the size it would be in a country with a large Christian population, the more than 550 people who filled the cathedral made their fervour felt, cheering and chanting as Leo entered the church.

The pope, usually calm and mild-mannered, was visibly moved. His eyes welled with tears, and his voice caught as he offered his opening blessing.

In his remarks, Leo drew a direct line between the council whose anniversary he would commemorate later that day and the challenges currently facing Christians.

While the Council of Nicaea rejected the heresy of denying Jesus’ divinity known as Arianism, the pope warned of a “new Arianism present in today’s culture and sometimes even among believers,” in which Jesus is “reduced to a great historical figure, a wise teacher, or a prophet who fought for justice — nothing more.”

“Nicaea reminds us that Jesus Christ is not a figure of the past; he is the Son of God present among us, guiding history toward the future promised by God,” he said.

Yet Leo was quick to note that historical formulas that express faith “are always partial and provisional and can change as doctrine is more deeply understood.”

He recalled how St. John Henry Newman, whom the pope named a doctor of the church on Nov. 1, “insisted on the development of Christian doctrine, because doctrine is not an abstract, static idea, but reflects the very mystery of Christ.”

Despite its small size, Leo also highlighted the church’s ministries in Türkiye, especially its pastoral outreach to refugees and migrants — a major reality in Türkiye, which hosts millions of displaced people from Syria and elsewhere.

Ministering amid a Muslim majority

For the small Catholic community living in overwhelmingly Muslim Türkiye, Leo’s visit carried both encouragement and visibility.

Sr. Imurere Irene, a missionary of the Society of Mary from Rwanda who has served in Türkiye for two years, told the National Catholic Reporter that the Christian community’s small size fosters a shared sense of witness.

Christians of all creeds in Türkiye “are united, we try to help each other,” she said while awaiting the pope’s arrival in the cathedral. “We try, through our way of life, to show the Muslim [community] what Christianity is and to be witness[es] of Christ.”

Franciscan Fr. Paolo Pugliese, an Italian who has been ministering in Türkiye for 10 years, said the pope’s visit has generally been perceived positively by Türkiye’s Muslim community, “especially because of the commitment of the pope in spreading peace, in talking about peace.”

Both Francis and Leo “have been very clear in talking about peace for Gaza, and this was quite a clear sign for Muslim countries that allowed them to feel their closeness,” he told NCR.

The war in Gaza will linger over the next leg of Leo’s trip to Lebanon, which has continued to be struck by Israeli air raids in recent weeks.

Though Lebanon’s Catholic community is sizable, the Muslim community will be listening attentively to how the leader of the world’s largest Christian church calls for peace in a region consumed by interreligious tensions and conflict.

Religious leaders bear living witness to faith expressed at Nicaea 1700 years ago

In an historic commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, faith leaders gathered in Nicaea—modern-day Iznik, Türkiye – on 28 November to mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in the history of the church.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay joined His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV for an ecumenical prayer service.

His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew noted the hope expressed through the sacred commemoration even in world with upheavals, difficulties, and divisions.

“We are here to bear living witness to the same faith expressed by the fathers of Nicaea,” he said. “We return to this wellspring of the Christian faith in order to move forward. The power of this place does not reside in what passes away but in what endures forever.”

Pillay shared a Gospel reading from John 17, which includes a passage with a prayer from Jesus that is oft-cited in the World Council of Churches: “That they all shall be one, just as you, my Father, are in me, and I am in you.”

Delivering a message, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that we live in a time marked by may tragic signs yet we are linked by a profound bond.

“In this way, we are all invited to overcome the scandal of the divisions that unfortunately still exist, to nurture the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life,” said Pope  Leo. “Today, the whole of humanity afflicted by violence and conflict is crying out for reconciliation.”

His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV signed a Joint Declaration giving thanks for the fraternal meeting 1700 years ago and in the present.

“We are convinced that the commemoration of this significant anniversary can inspire new and courageous steps on the path towards unity,” reads the declaration. “The goal of Christian unity includes the objective of contributing in a fundamental and life-giving manner to peace among all peoples.”

The declaration encourages the whole of humanity to knit together.

“While we are deeply alarmed by the current international situation, we do not lose hope,” the declaration reads. “God will not abandon humanity.”

• The text of the welcoming address of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
• The text of the address by Pope Leo in English

Marriage an exclusive union requiring ‘tender care,’ Vatican says

The foundation of sacramental marriage is the unity of the spouses, a bond so intense and grace-filled that it is exclusive and indissoluble, said a document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The document, “‘Una Caro’ (One Flesh): In Praise of Monogamy. Doctrinal Note on the Value of Marriage as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging,” was released today […] by the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV approved its contents Nov. 21 and authorized its publication.

“Although each marital union is a unique reality, embodied within human limitations, every authentic marriage is a unity composed of two individuals, requiring a relationship so intimate and all-encompassing that it cannot be shared with others,” the document said.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the doctrinal dicastery, wrote in the document’s introduction that the dicastery wanted to draw from Scripture, theology, philosophy and “even poetry” to explain why it is best to choose “a unique and exclusive union of love, a reciprocal belonging that is rich and all-embracing.”

The dicastery said it issued the note in response to requests from the bishops of Africa where polygamy is still practiced as well as because “various public forms of non-monogamous unions — sometimes called ‘polyamory’ — are growing in the West.”

“Polygamy, adultery or polyamory are based on the illusion that the intensity of a relationship can be found in the succession of faces,” the document said. But “as the myth of Don Juan illustrates, numbers dissolve the names; they disperse the unity of the loving impulse.”

While the Church, its theologians, pastors and canon lawyers have written much about the indissolubility of the marriage bond, the note said, there has been less official reflection “on the unity of marriage — meaning marriage understood as a unique and exclusive union between one man and one woman.”

The doctrinal dicastery insisted that sacramental marriage is forever and that openness to procreation is an essential part of marriage, but it also said the purpose of the doctrinal note was to focus primarily on the unitive aspect of marriage.

While there are examples of polygamy in the Old Testament, many other passages celebrate the love found in an exclusive, monogamous relationship, it said. And the Song of Songs uses the language of a lover and beloved allegorically to refer to the relationship of God with His people — a relationship that is unique and exclusive.

In the Gospels, it said, Jesus exalts faithful, lifelong monogamy, pointing back to God’s “original plan” that a man and a woman would become “one flesh.”

The document has a long section on what popes and Christian theologians — from the early Church to modern times — have said and written about marriage. Unlike other early theologians, it said, St. John Chrysostom did not emphasize procreation as a primary purpose for marriage but wrote that “the unity of marriage, through the choice of a single person to whom one is joined, serves to free people from an unrestrained sexual outlet devoid of love or fidelity, and properly directs sexuality.”

Until Pope Leo XIII wrote an encyclical on marriage in 1880, the popes did not write much about matrimony, the document said. In that encyclical, it said, the pope’s defense of monogamy was in part “a defense of the dignity of women, which cannot be denied or dishonoured even for the sake of procreation. The unity of marriage therefore implies a free choice on the part of the woman, who has the right to demand exclusive reciprocity.”

Because marriage is a union between a man and a woman “who possess exactly the same dignity and the same rights,” the document said, “it demands that exclusivity which prevents the other from being relativized in their unique value or being used merely as a means among others to satisfy needs.”

In the Latin-rite sacrament of matrimony, it noted, “consent is expressed by saying: ‘I take you as my wife,’ and ‘I take you as my husband.’ In this regard, following the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, it must be said that consent is a ‘human act by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another.'”

“This act, ‘which binds the spouses to each other,’ is a giving and a receiving: it is the dynamism that gives rise to mutual belonging, called to deepen, to mature and to become ever more solid,” the doctrinal note said.

How that belonging to one another in an exclusive way is lived out may change over time, “when physical attraction and the possibility of sexual relations weaken,” the document said, but it does not end.

“Naturally, various intimate expressions of affection will not be lacking, and these are also considered exclusive,” it said. “Precisely because the experience of reciprocal and exclusive belonging has deepened and strengthened over time, there are expressions that are reserved only for that person with whom one has chosen to share one’s heart in a unique way.

“The mutual belonging proper to exclusive, reciprocal love implies a delicate care, a holy fear of profaning the freedom of the other, who has the same dignity and therefore the same rights,” the note said.

The unique friendship of spouses, it said, is “full of mutual knowledge, appreciation of the other, complicity, intimacy, understanding and patience, concern for the good of the other and sensitive gestures.”

That friendship ” transcends sexuality,” but “at the same time embraces it and gives it its most beautiful, profound, unifying and fruitful meaning,” the document said.

Vatican issues sweeping defense of traditional marriage, pushing back on polygamy

Responding to recent questions raised by African bishops concerned about the practice of polygamy, the Vatican issued a sweeping defence of monogamy Tuesday, Nov. 25.

The 40-page doctrinal note “Una Caro (One Flesh): In Praise of Monogamy: Doctrinal Note on the Value of Marriage as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging,” was issued […] by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. It offers a far-reaching theological, biblical, and cultural reflection on the Catholic Church’s teaching that marriage is a “unique and exclusive” union between one man and one woman.

The catechism teaches that marriage requires “the unity and indissolubility” of spouses. Una Caro noted that while the church has extensively developed the doctrine of indissolubility of marriage, it said the magisterium has offered “less extensive reflection” on unity.

Unity within a monogamous marriage, the document said, “can be defined as the unique and exclusive union between one woman and one man, in other words, as the mutual belonging of the two, which cannot be shared with others.”

Una Caro then traces the idea of unity in marriage across Scripture, the Church Fathers, medieval and modern theology, as well as more recent magisterial developments to demonstrate the unitive effect of monogamous marriage. Later sections widen the lens to culture, noting how Indian traditions and Hindu literature depict exclusive, lifelong love, and invoking poets like Pablo Neruda and Walt Whitman, to illustrate the enduring human desire for a monogamous love.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Vatican’s doctrine office, said at a news conference presenting the document that it was drafted in response to a desire from several African bishops, who minister to communities where polygamy is common, to develop a resource to motivate people towards monogamy.

That the document was drafted to praise monogamy and not condemn polygamy “gives the document a different tone than other documents,” he said.

Still, at several points, the document makes clear that different forms of non-monogamy are incompatible with the church’s concept of unity in marriage.

It said polygamy, adultery, or polyamory, having multiple committed relationships at the same time, “are based on the illusion that the intensity of the relationship can be found in the succession of faces,” but the document emphasised that “multiplying faces in a supposed total union means fragmenting the meaning of marital love.”

“Monogamy is not simply the opposite of polygamy,” it stated. “It is much more, and its deepening allows a conception of marriage in all of its richness and fertility,” which the document said is tied to sexuality but “is not limited to ensuring procreation.”

Drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas, the document stated that monogamy “consolidates the mutual balance between man and woman,” and that there is no room for any form of polyandry, when a woman has two or more husbands, or polygamy, which the document said Aquinas “defines as a form of slavery.”

While the document was prompted by the acute need to expand on the church’s teaching of monogamy for Africa, Fernández said that it also serves to highlight the value of monogamy in societies without polygamy per se, but where infidelity or polyamory is practised in private.

The document stated: “We cannot ignore that in recent decades, in the context of postmodern consumerist individualism, various problems have arisen from an excessive and uncontrolled pursuit of sex, or from the simple denial of the procreative purpose of sexuality.”

“A peculiarity of recent decades is the explicit denial of the unitive purpose of sexuality and of marriage itself. This is especially due to feelings of anxiety, of always being busy, of wanting more free time for oneself, of being constantly obsessed with travelling and discovering new places,” it continued. “As a result, the desire for emotional exchange, for sexual relations themselves, but also for dialogue and cooperation, disappears, as these things are seen as ‘stressful.’ ”

In its review of the magisterium, the document recounts how Pope Pius XI expressed that the mutual formation of spouses could be said to be “the primary cause and reason for marriage.”

“This ‘broadening’ of the meaning of marriage, which goes beyond the narrow meaning that had prevailed until then, as an institution ordered to procreation and the proper education of offspring, paved the way for a deeper understanding of the unitive meaning of marriage and sexuality,” it said.

Una Caro also cited Pope Leo XIII’s defence of monogamy as a “defence of women’s dignity, which cannot be denied or dishonoured even for the sake of procreation.”

“The unity of marriage, therefore, implies a free choice on the part of women, who have the right to demand exclusive reciprocity,” it said.

The Second Vatican Council likewise affirmed that marital union is “all-encompassing” and therefore possible only between two individuals, warning that any “plural” union would threaten the dignity of both spouses who would be forced to “share with others what should be intimate and exclusive, thus becoming like objects in a relationship that demeans their personal dignity,” the note said.

While the document had been developed months ago, Fernández said, its release was delayed to follow the publication of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, on love of the poor, elements of which were included in the note.

“A particular sign of the couple’s openness to others and the fruitfulness of their charity is manifested in their concern for the poor,” Una Caro stated. “Christians cannot consider the poor merely as a social problem: they are a ‘family matter’. They are ‘one of us.’ “