Pope Leo: Christians should give shared witness to humanity's struggling

[ad_1] In his message to individuals within the 2025 Ecumenical Week in Stockholm, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms that "in our world bearing deep scars of battle, inequality, environmental degradation, and a rising sense of religious disconnection," it's essential for Christians to proceed working and praying collectively.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"Might the Holy Spirit, who impressed the Council of Nicaea, and who continues to information us all, deepen your fellowship this week, and awaken contemporary hope for the unity which the Lord so ardently wishes amongst His followers," Pope Leo XIV mentioned Friday in a message despatched to the individuals within the 2025 Ecumenical Week, going down this week within the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE MESSAGE HERE

The religion that continues to bind Christians collectively The Pope recalled the Week marks the centenary of the 1925 Common Christian Convention on Life and Work, in addition to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, when, within the yr 325, Bishops from throughout the identified world gathered in Nicaea.

The Pope's message was learn on the occasion by Archbishop Flavio Tempo, Secretary of the Dicastery for Selling Christian Unity.

In affirming the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Father recalled, they formulated our creedal statements that He's “true God from true God” and “consubstantial" ( homoousios ) with the Father.

Thus, Pope Leo mentioned, "they articulated the religion that continues to bind Christians collectively."

<source media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/23/2025.08.23.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/23/2025.08.23.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg 1x"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/23/2025.08.23.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1000.563.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/23/2025.08.23.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.500.281.jpeg 1x"> Archbishop Flavio Tempo learn the Pope's message on the occasion

Early witness to a conviction "That Council," Pope Leo continued, "stood as a brave signal of unity amidst distinction – an early witness to the conviction that our shared confession can overcome division and foster communion."

The Pope went on to watch {that a} related want animated the 1925 Convention in Stockholm, convened by the pioneer of the early ecumenical motion, Nathan Söderblom, then Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala. "Whereas the Catholic Church was not represented at that first gathering," the Pope mentioned, "I can affirm, with humility and pleasure, that we stand with you at present as fellow disciples of Christ, recognizing that what unites us is much larger than what divides us."

<source media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg 1x"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1000.563.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.500.281.jpeg 1x"> Ecumenical Week in Stockholm 2025

Catholic Church has wholeheartedly embraced the ecumenical path "For the reason that Second Vatican Council," the Holy Father mentioned, "the Catholic Church has wholeheartedly embraced the ecumenical path," saying that Unitatis redintegratio , the Council’s decree on ecumenism, "referred to as us to dialogue in humble and loving fraternity, grounded in our widespread baptism and our shared mission on this planet."

"We consider that the unity Christ wills for His Church have to be seen," he mentioned, "and that such unity grows by theological dialogue, widespread worship the place doable, and shared witness within the face of humanity’s struggling."

Peace is an indication of the Lord’s presence with us The Pope mentioned this name to shared witness finds highly effective expression within the theme chosen for this Ecumenical Week: “Time for God’s peace.”

Pope Leo careworn this message couldn't be extra well timed as "our world bears the deep scars of battle, inequality, environmental degradation, and a rising sense of religious disconnection."

But amid these challenges, he reassured them, "we recall that peace isn't merely a human achievement, however an indication of the Lord’s presence with us."

A promise and a process This, the Pope mentioned, is each a promise and a process, "for the followers of Christ are summoned to turn into artisans of reconciliation: to confront division with braveness, indifference with compassion, and to convey therapeutic the place there was damage."

With this sentiment and earlier than concluding in prayer, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that this mission has grown stronger by current ecumenical milestones and reiterated the Catholic Church’s dedication to proceed the journey of praying and dealing collectively.

<source media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--6.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--6.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg 1x"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-original-set="/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--6.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1000.563.jpeg 2x, /content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2025/agosto/22/2025.08.22-Settimana-ecumenica-di-Stoccolma--6.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.500.281.jpeg 1x"> Ecumenical Week in Stockholm 2025