Istanbul: In a powerful expression of fraternal closeness between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Pope Leo XIV joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on Sunday for the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, marking the feast of Saint Andrew, the patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and brother of Saint Peter.
More than 400 members of the Holy Synod and Orthodox bishops participated in the solemn celebration, filling the ancient cathedral with prayer, incense, and the symbols of centuries-old Christian tradition.
In his address, Pope Leo highlighted how this liturgy marked the culmination of a historic pilgrimage to the sites of early Christianity, including Nicaea, where the First Ecumenical Council laid the foundations of shared Christian doctrine.
He recalled that the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, professed by Catholics and Orthodox alike, remains a powerful sign of real though incomplete communion.
“The Creed unites us and enables us to recognize each other as brothers and sisters,” he said.
Despite “misunderstandings and conflicts” that have shaped the relationship between the two Churches over the centuries, Pope Leo urged Christians to persist in the path toward full unity.
“We must continue to see one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and love each other accordingly.”
Patriarch Bartholomew, in his homily, welcomed Pope Leo as the successor of Saint Peter on this significant feast marked in honor of Saint Andrew, the first-called Apostle.
“As successors of the two holy Apostles, founders of our Churches, our spiritual brotherhood obligates us to proclaim salvation to the world,” he said. “Your visit is not a matter of protocol it manifests our deep and sincere commitment to Christian unity.”
He emphasized that the exchange of delegations for major liturgical feasts and such personal encounters reinforce the Churches’ shared aspiration to restore full communion.
Both leaders recalled a milestone moment in modern Church history: the 1964 lifting of the mutual excommunications of 1054 by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras.
Pope Leo described this act as a “historic gesture” that opened a path of reconciliation and theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox.
“Given the significant progress since then, today we are called even more strongly to commit ourselves to restoring full communion.”
The Pope and the Patriarch reaffirmed their joint responsibility to offer a united Christian witness in a world torn by wars, injustice, and suffering.
Pope Leo insisted that Christians must be agents of peace not only through advocacy but through spiritual renewal.
“Peace is a gift from God, sought through prayer, penance, contemplation, and a living relationship with the Lord,” he said.
Both leaders underlined the duty of Christians to stand with people affected by conflict globally and to embody mercy and charity in daily life.
Another theme strongly echoed during the liturgy was the urgent need to safeguard creation. Pope Leo praised Patriarch Bartholomew often called the “Green Patriarch” for his pioneering ecological leadership.
The Pope warned that the world faces a “grave ecological crisis” which demands personal, communal, and global conversion.
“Catholics and Orthodox alike must help shape a new mindset,” he said. “All people must recognize their responsibility for caring for the environment entrusted to us by God.”
Pope Leo also noted that new communication technologies present both challenges and opportunities. He stressed the Churches’ responsibility to ensure that technological advances serve human dignity and inclusive development, not the interests of a privileged few.
Patriarch Bartholomew expressed deep gratitude for the Pope’s visit, invoking the intercession of the Apostles Andrew and Peter.
“May they inspire us to continue our shared pilgrimage toward unity, so that together we may proclaim to the world that we have found the Messiah.”
Pope Leo concluded by entrusting all present to the saints linked with the Church of Constantinople Saint Andrew, Saint Peter, Saint George, and the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea offering prayers for peace, health, and renewed commitment to the Gospel.