A historic joint declaration was signed at the Phanar by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV, marking a significant step in relations between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

The two Primates emphasize the unity of the two Churches, highlighting that the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council can inspire new and courageous steps in this direction. They affirm their unwavering commitment to the path of dialogue for the restoration of full communion between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

In the Joint Declaration, they reaffirm that they proceed “with firm resolve” along the path of theological dialogue, express gratitude that all Christians celebrated Easter on the same day this year, and articulate a clear desire to find a permanent common date for the celebration of the Resurrection every year.

Finally, they reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence. “We believe that authentic interreligious dialogue, far from causing syncretism or confusion, is essential for the coexistence of peoples with different traditions and cultures,” they emphasize.

Full Translation of the Joint Declaration

On the eve of the feast of Saint Andrew the First-Called Apostle, brother of the Apostle Peter and patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, we, Pope Leo XIV and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, offer heartfelt thanks to God, our merciful Father, for the gift of this fraternal encounter. Following the example of our blessed predecessors, and obeying the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, we continue to walk with firm determination along the path of dialogue, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), toward the hoped-for restoration of full communion between our sister Churches. Aware that the unity of Christians is not merely the result of human effort but a gift that comes from above, we invite all members of our Churches—clergy, monastics, consecrated persons, and the faithful laity—to sincerely seek the fulfillment of the prayer Jesus Christ addressed to the Father: “that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you […] so that the world may believe […]” (John 17:21).

The celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, held on the eve of our meeting, was a moment of exceptional Grace. The Council of Nicaea, which convened in AD 325, was a manifestation of Divine Providence for the sake of unity. The purpose of celebrating this anniversary is not merely to recall the historical significance of the Council, but to inspire us to remain continually open to the same Holy Spirit who spoke through Nicaea, as we confront the many challenges of our time. We are deeply grateful to all leaders and representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities who were willing to participate in this event. Beyond acknowledging the obstacles that hinder the restoration of full communion among all Christians—obstacles we seek to address through theological dialogue—we must also recognize that what binds us is the faith expressed in the Creed of Nicaea: the saving faith in the Son of God, “true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father,” who “for us humans and for our salvation” became incarnate, dwelt among us, was crucified, died and was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. Through the coming of the Son of God, we are initiated into the mystery of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and are called to become, in and through Christ, children of the Father and co-heirs with Christ through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Endowed with this shared confession, we are able to face our common challenges, bearing witness to the faith expressed at Nicaea with mutual respect and working together toward concrete solutions with genuine hope.

We are convinced that the celebration of this significant anniversary can inspire new and courageous steps on the path toward unity. Among its decisions, the First Council of Nicaea also provided criteria for determining the date of Easter, common for all Christians. We are grateful to Divine Providence that this year the entire Christian world celebrated Easter on the same day. It is our shared desire that the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating the Feast of Feasts together every year continue. We hope and pray that all Christians, “with all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9), will commit themselves to achieving a common celebration of the radiant Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This year we also commemorate the 60th anniversary of the historic Joint Declaration of our blessed predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, which lifted the mutual excommunications of 1054. We thank God that this prophetic gesture led our Churches to pursue, “in a spirit of trust, esteem and mutual benevolence, the dialogue which, with the help of God, will lead to living together again, for the greater good of souls and with the coming of the Kingdom of God, within that full communion of faith, fraternal harmony and sacramental life that existed between them during the first millennium of the Church’s life” (Joint Declaration of 7 December 1965). At the same time, we urge those who still hesitate before any form of dialogue to listen attentively to what the Spirit says to the Churches (cf. Rev. 2:29), who, in today’s circumstances of history, urges us to offer the world a renewed witness of peace, reconciliation, and unity.

Convinced of the importance of dialogue, we express our continued support for the work of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which is currently examining issues historically considered divisive.

Alongside the irreplaceable role of theological dialogue in the process of rapprochement between our Churches, we also highlight the other essential elements of this process, including fraternal contacts, prayer, and joint work in all those areas where cooperation is already possible. We strongly encourage all the faithful of our Churches—especially clergy and theologians—to joyfully embrace the fruits achieved thus far and to work for their further increase.

The goal of the unity of Christians involves the aim of contributing, in a fundamental and life-giving way, to peace among all peoples. Together we raise our fervent voices, invoking God’s gift of peace for our world.

It is tragic that in many regions of our world, conflicts and violence continue to destroy so many lives.

We appeal to those who bear civil and political responsibility to do everything possible to ensure the immediate cessation of the tragedy of wars, and we ask all people of good will to support our plea.

We especially reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence. We believe that authentic interreligious dialogue, far from causing syncretism or confusion, is essential for the coexistence of peoples with different traditions and cultures. Keeping in mind the 60th anniversary of the Declaration Nostra Aetate, we urge all men and women of good will to work together to build a more just and compassionate world and to care for creation, which God has entrusted to us. Only in this way can the human family overcome indifference, the desire for domination, the greed of exploitation, and xenophobia.

We invoke upon every member of the human family all grace and blessing, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all the riches of full understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God,” who is our Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 2:2).

From the Phanar, 29 November 2025.