This initiative aims to take advantage of the common date of Easter, to emphasize the resurrection of Christ as the heart of the Christian faith and to call on Christians to overcome their divisions around this date.
Accompanied by Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Dicastery for Christian Unity, Pope Francis expressed his joy at the work accomplished and at seeing us together, Christians representing all the families of the Churches. Indeed, we are the same delegation that went to Constantinople: the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IOA), the Focolare Movement, the Together for Europe network and JC2033.
Francis expressed his hope that “the common celebration of the day of the Resurrection will no longer be an exception, but will become the norm”. And he encouraged those involved in the search for a shared agreement, “avoiding anything that could, on the contrary, lead to new divisions”.
In his speech on behalf of Easter Together 2025, Ioan Volescu, President of the AIO and former Romanian Minister, underlined the positive message that this initiative gives in a European in crisis. One sign is to try to unify the date of Easter. I think it's wonderful that Orthodox parliamentarians are opening the door in this way, concerned about the unity of the Church and its witness in society.
Avanti (let's go)!
Three things touched me personally. First, Pope Francis took the time to meet us all personally, foregoing the speech he had prepared (but he gave everyone the text: read here ). Then he looked ahead to 2033, the jubilee of the 2000th anniversary of Jesus' Resurrection (or the “Jubilee of the Redemption”, as the Catholic Church calls it).
Finally, the most important thing, for him, is not the calendar, but bearing witness together to Christ's Resurrection, which manifests God's love for all mankind. Above all, he says, ”Easter is not the fruit of our initiative, of one calendar or another...Easter belongs to Christ! We need to ask him for the grace to be more and more his disciples...So let's seek to reflect, share and plan together, keeping Jesus before us, grateful for his call and eager, in unity, to become his witnesses, so that the world may believe.”
At the end of our meeting, I was able to personally greet Pope Francis. I told him that we were praying for him and for the road leading from 2025 to 2033. And for all Christians to celebrate and bear witness to Christ's Resurrection at Easter 2033!
He replied: “Adiamo avanti, sono d'accordo”. “Let's move forward, I agree!”
Martin Hoegger
The “Easter together 2025” group with Pope Francis
Why is it important for JC2033 to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea?
JC2033 calls for a focus on the Risen Christ now, in preparation for the 2000th anniversary celebrations of his Resurrection. The year 2025 will mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, an important milestone towards 2033. This Council defended the divinity of Jesus Christ at a time when it was contested...just as it is today. What's more, it placed his Resurrection at the heart of Christian life: every Sunday is like an Easter celebration. The Resurrection of Jesus is the faith of Christians!
